Harry Hutchens (born Henry Hutchins, 27 February 1858 – 2 January 1939) was a professional British runner.

[1] In 1920, American Olympic champion and writer Ellery Harding Clark declared that Harry Hutchens was "the greatest sprinter the world had ever seen.

[4] On 2 January 1884, Hutchens clocked 30.0 seconds for 300 yards (274 m) on the grass track at the Powderhall meet in Edinburgh, easing up.

"[5] According to Edward Seldon Sears, Hutchens ran a time-trial in 29.5 seconds before the Powderhall race.

"They stood over me in the dressing-room with open knives and bottles," Hutchens told The Sporting Life.

This prompted the demise of pedestrianism, as the popular sport of racing for prize money was known in its 19th-century heyday.

British runner Charles Wood (1861–1937) set a world amateur record for 220 yards at 21.6 in 1887.

[7] Wood told the Otago Witness in 1905 that “I consider that Harry Hutchens of Putney was the best sprinter of all time.

[2] James S. Mitchel claimed in 1901 in his book Athletics Giants of the Past that some observers thought Hutchens could run 9.2 seconds.

[10] Hutchens and Reggie Walker, the 1908 Olympic 100 metres champion shared a coach in Sam Wisdom.

He believed that Hutchens was capable of running 29 seconds for 300 yards if he had specially trained for the event.