2024: Looking back at a terrific 12 months

The weather is getting colder, the festive lights are twinkling, what better time to take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about the exciting events of the year as it comes to a close. Join us as we journey through the seasons from the peaks of Paris to the dark nights with the Lift the Curfew campaign!

Winter

Indoor Championships: We kicked off 2024 in style with our indoor championships series which saw records fall! Abigail Pawlett (Trafford/Loughborough Students, Ashley Bryant) set a new championship best in the senior women's pentathlon (4325 points), with Divine Iheme (Nkiruka Iheme, Radley) and Joshua Akintolu (Ian Hill, Wakefield) setting British and English records in the 60m and high jump respectively. Jessica Duncton (Paul Gripton, Birchfield) etched her way into the history books too clocking a lightning 8.18 in the U20 women's 60m hurdles.

England teams taking Europe by storm: A wet and windy February may have led to the cancellation of the National Cross Country but this didn't stop our English teams travelling across Europe to fly the flag. Across the roads, cross country and indoor track and field, we had teams representing in Norway, Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Sweden and Scotland.

National Running Show: We also began the year in Birmingham for the National Running Show. We had the pleasure of welcoming runners and explaining the benefits and opportunities running can present.

Spring

International Women's Day: Each March, we love to shine the spotlight on some inspirational female pioneers of our sport. This year we caught up with para athlete, Amy Thompson, Brentwood Beagles chair, Elaine Forrest and delved into the history books with The Athletics Museum to learn about some of the athletics trailblazers of the past. Read in full here.

Return of National Road Relays: Spring is all about the National Road Relays as hundreds of clubs ventured to the Midlands to take on this historic race. It was Thames Valley Harriers and Leeds City who were crowned the 2024 champions.

Summer

Olympic and Paralympic Games: This summer was jam-packed full of action from our summer championship series through to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. With a record breaking number of medals achieved we could not be more proud of the 77 English athletes who represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland across the two Games, many of which are supported by our Talent Pathway, including youngest team member, Phoebe Gill (St Albans Striders, Deborah Steer). From a world record for Dan Pembroke (John Trower, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow) to an iconic gold for Keely Hodgkinson (Leigh AC, Trevor Painter) in the 800m, it was certainly a summer to remember.

Return of Manchester International: This year also saw the return of the much anticipated Manchester International! After a two-year hiatus, England retained the title. It was also an emotional day as Olympic medallist and pole vaulting legend, Holly Bradshaw (Blackburn, Kate Rooney) hung up her spikes for the final time on British soil.

First English para team competed abroad: This summer we were delighted to be able to take our very first all-para teams to compete on the European circuit at the Nottwil and Paris Grand Prix.

Design a vest competition: As the track and field stars were competing across the globe this summer, we wanted our younger athletes and families to help design a brand-new vest for a future athlete to compete in. Alongside a panel of members from Personal Best Foundation and funetics, we selected two designs to win a signed vest from Paralympic legend, Hannah Cockroft OBE!

Autumn

Awards season: The final finish line may have been crossed on the summer track and field season, but we were straight into celebrating the outstanding achievements and contributions of the athletics and running community at our nine Regional Volunteer Awards! We then travelled to Leicester for the 2024 rendition of the Hall of Fame and National Volunteer Awards.

Welcoming new athletes and coaches on to our Talent Pathway: Like the new school year, September brought a new cohort of athletes on to our Youth Talent Programme, Junior Talent Programme, Senior Programme and Para Academy, with activity delivered across our four Talent Hubs.

Let's Lift the Curfew: The darker nights shouldn't mean that you have stop running, and this is something that This Girl Can have been campaigning for this autumn with their Let's Lift the Curfew campaign. It was amazing to see thousands of runners across both England Athletics affiliated clubs and RunTogether groups come together to campaign for women's safety.

We would like to thank all of the athletics and running family for another fantastic year, and look forward to reaching new heights in 2025!