Celebrating the greats of our sport at our 2024 Hall of Fame
After a break for 2023, the England Athletics Hall of Fame returned in November 2024. The evening at the Athena Events Venue in Leicester was a celebration of our sport with new inductees to the Hall of Fame and recognition of the National Volunteer Award winners for 2024.
The evening began with the induction of 8 people who have given so much to our sport:
Lorna Boothe
A two-time Olympian, and a two-time Commonwealth Games medallist with a lifetime of service to athletics.
British 100m sprinter, James Dasaolu presented the award and there was a video message from Frank Dick.
To get recognised for something that I love, have a passion for, it means the world to me.
Lorna was asked what she thought her proudest moment was.
"The best moment of my career was the Commonwealth Games. It was special because I ran my heart out, it was a special race."
Robbie Grabarz
An Olympic, World and European high jump medallist of the very highest global quality.
Robbie was unable to attend so Olympic high jumper Jo Jennings-Summers accepted the award on his behalf.
Stan Greenberg
The man at the helm of the BBC's commentator statistics for 26 years working on Olympic Games and 13 Commonwealth Games.
A sprightly and perfectly timed entrance onto the stage for the 90 year old commentator who still knew the importance of timing! Rob Walker, renowned commentator, presented the award to Stan. Rob Walker introduced Stan: "We are in the presence of athletics knowledge greatness." Amazingly Stan's first experience of athletics was watching the Olympic Games in 1948! From then on he was hooked.
"I think the 1952 Olympics was my first wow - I saw 16 world records in one week. Then there was seeing Jonathan Edwards compete: everyone else jumps, but he skips - it's a joy to watch."
Nicola Sanders
One of the finest single lap runners Great Britain has produced, winner of six global 4x400m relay medals.
"I love relay running, put a baton in my hand and I just go. Overtaking the Russian at the Worlds was a great feeling."
The evening's compere and a one-lap specialist herself of some note, Kath Merry presented the award to Nicola. After some discussion over the fact that Nicola beat Kath's 400m record, Kath asked her what race she was most proud of.
Kath asked Nicola about her involvement in athletics in recent years.
"When I first retired because of injury I watched people I had been with and I was a bit sad, but now I have that distance from it and I'm a big fan!"
Charles Bennett
The very first Briton to win an Olympic gold in athletics, in Paris in 1900, and winner of five AAA titles.
Sadly, we have been unable at this stage to trace family members of the Bennett family to accept this award.
Jenny Meadows and Trevor Painter
A great athletics team for more than two decades – first as athlete and coach and now as joint guardians of some of the best British talent the sport has ever seen.
"We don't feel nerves, we've made all the preparations and plans. We give our athletes the right tools, physical abilities and scenarios but they [Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Bell] are the ones who execute it. We're not fans of our athletes, we are inspired by them."
Georgia Bell presented the award to her coaches; "They are special because it is world class athletes but still a family feel."
There was also a video message from philanthropist Barrie Wells who had provided financial support to Jenny and later to Keely as well as a number of other athletes.
Richard Whitehead
Nicknamed ‘Lion Heart’, this hugely charismatic runner is one of Britain’s most successful Paralympic athletes.
Richard explained about his athletics journey, which started comparatively late in life (his 30s)
"It's been a journey with my coach Keith - a great partnership. It's also about all the people on my journey those who believed in me.
"It's really important that it is not just about the athlete, it is everyone around them - the volunteers who give back their time. Without volunteers I couldn't have done the performances that I did."
"To change the world you have to change yourself so that you can make an impact on the world."
Kath's final question to Richard - Track or Road?
"There is nothing like running down The Mall during the London Marathon busting a gut. The marathon is where my heart is."
Richard was presented with his award by his long-time coach Keith Antoine.
Read full Hall of Fame 2024 citationsOther awards
There were also two recipients of coaching bursary awards, presentations to Athlete of the Year by the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund (RPMF), and National Athletics League (NAL) prizes:
- Dave Sunderland Coaching Bursary: Dave Ragan (Basingstoke & Mid Hants AC)
- Lloyd Cowan Coaching Bursary: Deborah Steer (St Albans AC, coach to Phoebe Gill)
- RPMF U23 Athlete of the Year: Louie Hinchliffe (coach: Carl Lewis, Sheffield & Dearne AC / Houston University)
- RPMF U20 Athlete of the Year: Innes Fitzgerald (coach: Gavin Pavey, Exeter AC)
- RPMF U18 Athlete of the Year: Phoebe Gill (coach: Deborah Steer, St Albans AC)
- NAL Premiership trophy: Thames Valley Harriers
- NAL best male track athlete: Tyri Donovan (Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow AC, 400m hurdles)
- NAL best female track athlete: Jessica Tappin (Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow AC, 400m hurdles)
- NAL best male field athlete: Jake Norris (Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow , Hammer)
- NAL best female field athlete: Molly Caudery (Thames Valley Harriers, Pole Vault)