Daley
Thompson
 Daley
Thompson
was twice Olympic gold medallist. He won a record breaking 12
decathlons over a six year period. His great talent stretched across a
range of events, it was developed through systematic, tough and highly
effective training. But Daley was known for his mental resolve and
ability to master his rivals psychologically as well as physically. In
announcing the induction chair of England Athletics John Graves
described Daley Thompson as ‘the most complete athlete of modern times,
if not of all time’ |
Sally
Gunnell
 Sally
Gunnell’s career saw her win World Championships silver in 1991,
Olympic gold in 1992 and World Championships gold in a world record in
1993. In the Commonwealth Games she won in gold in 1986, 1990 and 1994.
She was ranked number one in the world in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994.
She held the UK record for over 20 years and was one of few athletes to
hold Commonwealth, World, Olympic and European titles at same
time.
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Sebastian
Coe
 Sebastian
Coe
won the Olympic 1500m titles in both 1980 and 1984 as well as
numerous championship medals, it was a surprise to many that his 1986
European 800m title was his first at the distance. His 1981 world
record for 800m was truly ahead of its time and Wilson Kipketer remains
the only man to have surpassed the feat. Coe also set world records
at
1500m, mile and the 1000m. Coe has since become known as the man who
brought the Olympics to England with the Games planned for London in
2012 now a byword for potential and hope in sport, not only for
athletics but across the spectrum of events which will be held at the
Games. |
Steve
Ovett
 Always
regards as the ‘athletes athlete’ Steve Ovett notably won the 800m gold
medal at the Moscow Olympics. He won many other national and
international championship medals at 800m, 1500m and a Commonwealth
Games 5000m title. He also set world records at 1500m and the mile. But
Ovett was quintessentially a racer ‘I don’t run for a time, I run to
win’. The highest accolade that Ovett has been given perhaps came from
his great rival Sebastian Coe, ‘He’s the greatest runner I ever
competed against, probably the most complete athlete I
know’.
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David
Hemery
 David
Hemery broke the world record for 400m hurdles in the 1968 Olympic
final. His win was the first time in 36 years a British man had won an
Olympic title in a world record. The performance saw him voted BBC
Sports Personality of the Year. He won Olympic bronze in 1972 and was
twice Commonwealth sprint hurdles champion. His UK record for 400m
hurdles stood for 21 years. Hemery was the first President of UK
Athletics.
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Sir Roger
Bannister
 Roger
Bannister’s feat in running the first ever 4min mile at Iffley Road
Track, Oxford, in May 1954 is for many people the most historic moment
in sport. Running for the AAAs Bannister defied the windy conditions to
beat not only 4min with his time of 3:59.4 but also beat his rival John
Landy to the target that each had been striving for. The two later came
head-to-head in the Empire Games that year in what became known as the
Miracle Mile. Bannister, this time wearing the England vest, triumphed
over Landy, who had since lowered the record, to win in 3:58.8 to
3:59.6 the first time two men broke the 4min mile in the same
race.
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David
Holding
 David
Holding’s career saw him excel at an incredible range of distances. He
had the endurance to win four London Marathon titles in the wheelchair
event in 1989, 1994, 1996 and 1997. But at the other end of the
spectrum David became Paralympic champion at 100m in Atlanta in 1996,
and was crowned world champion at 100m in 1998. To underline his
diversity David also won the 1994 World title at 1500m. He was awarded
the MBE in
1998.
|
Hall
of
Fame inductees 2008 – Contributions to the sport of
athletics
|
David
Coleman
David
Coleman is the athletics and sports commentator for the BBC whose voice
provided the soundtrack to some of the most historic moments in the
sport.
At the ceremony BBC sports broadcaster Paul Dickenson
described David Coleman as ‘the finest sports broadcaster this country
has ever known’. Coleman started work for the BBC in 1954 and his work
included covering 11 summer Olympic Games.
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Geoff
Dyson
Geoff
Dyson has been described as the father of coaching. He was the first
chief national coach, establishing a network of qualified coaches and
set standards for coaching in this country. His classic book The
Mechanics of Athletics was published in 1961 and ran to eight editions,
being translated into five languages. When he died in 1981 the
McWhirter twins described him as ‘probably the greatest all round coach
in the world’.
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Chris
Brasher
 Chris
Brasher’s contribution to athletics in England is as diverse as it is
deep. Many will recognise him as having been pacemaker when Sir Roger
Bannister ran the first the 4min mile. But while he played this
important role in arguably the most historic moment in sport Brasher
was himself a formidable athlete as evidenced by his Olympic gold in
the 1956 Olympic steeplechase. He went on to be founding father of
English orienteering, an award winning journalist, inventor of the
Brasher boot and founder of the sportswear company that is now
Sweatshop. But the impact he made by co-founding the London Marathon
with John Disley means that Chris Brasher’s legacy and importance to
athletics in England remains as strong and deep as ever.
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