It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Gordon Wright, a senior figure at all levels of British athletics for more than 60 years.

England Athletics notes the English Schools' Athletics Association’s (ESAA) decision to pause implementation of the new age groups effective from1 April 2026, pending a further review of the impact on schools’ athletics. ESAA have indicated that they intend to conduct this review during 2026.

England Athletics’ seven-strong Club Support team provides a valuable and comprehensive service to our clubs: engaging in two-way conversation; acting upon club feedback; providing support and guidance; and ensuring that our affiliated clubs are well-placed to grow and thrive. With visits to clubs including Retford Athletics Club, Macclesfield Harriers & Athletics Club, Dartford Harriers Athletics Club and Bristol & West Athletics Club, we were – as always – able to meet some of the many volunteers who help our clubs to function and thrive. We also attended the Track & Field County Championships, in Suffolk, Nottinghamshire, Middlesex, Cumbria and Warwickshire.

May has been a busy month for England teams as they have risen to the challenge of competition on the roads, in the mountains and kickstarted the outdoor track and field season. From England debutants to veterans in the white and red vests, English athletes have excelled this month. Read our round up to discover the highlights!

Chris Johnson has had a strong passion for running and athletics since childhood and is an active member of Blaydon Harrier & Athletics Club. His personal background includes middle/long-distance running as well as high jump and hurdles. Recently, he has re-discovered his passion for running, but has also discovered how much he enjoys coaching.

The Nasego World Cup Mountain running weekend, held on 24-25 May, featured two races. Saturday saw the Vertical Nasego, which climbs 1000m over a distance of 4.2km, while Sunday was the classic Trofeo Nasego, a 21.5km up and down race. This weekend also incorporated a Six Nations competition, bringing together teams from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, and host nation Italy.

John Armour's journey as a Starter began because his son was competing. John is now a Level 2 official, and looking to his officiating future, he says he would love to keep on going and the ultimate goal is to be an official on the start of line of an international race.

England Athletics are pleased to announce the England team who will compete at the Pickering Memorial Throws International at Loughborough on 1 June. The team will be up against teams from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Loughborough with some big stars from overseas too. The event is organised in conjunction with our charity partners Personal Best Foundation and the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund - and money from spectator tickets and raffle tickets will go 50/50 to those charities. Tickets are on sale through Eventbrite or at the gate. and the action kicks off at 9.30am.

funetics was created to help 4-11 year old children to learn, develop and practice running, jumping and throwing skills. We recently caught up with Ian McAlister, Junior Development Lead at East Durham Running Club, who took the initiative to bring this programme to East Durham.

Team England and Wales athletes were bathed in glorious Shrewsbury sunshine at last Saturday’s Shrewsbury Festival of Running.  The event hosted the first Masters International of the season with the Masters 5k. On a closed 5 lap circuit the event hosted 3 age group races and it was a magnificent site to see the waves of red and white vests charging down the course. This event was also the first time that both England and Wales had entered development teams, comprised of athletes who had not previously represented their country.