Joe Appiah – more than an MBE

Joe Appiah was recently recognised in the New Year Honours with an MBE for services to Sport, to Public Health and Public Service. But, as with many of our volunteers, there’s more to the man than an MBE. We spoke to Joe to find out how he got involved with athletics and his journey to becoming a masters champion and multiple record holder, a performance coach, and a Level 3 technical official.

A tough start

Joe’s athletics career started late and by chance. He was born in Ghana and lived there until he was almost 15 years old when he moved to join his mother and younger brother in London. He had a tough start:

"I grew up on a council estate, was bullied at school and in my area for my deepest African accent, and the way I looked."

He left school with limited qualifications and with over 100 unsuccessful admin-type job applications as a 17 year old boy.

"Nobody gave me a chance. I was ignored. My first job was cleaning my local church floors before working as a post delivery and messenger guy in the City."

A platform to shine

Sports gave him confidence and a platform to shine. His first love was football and he played to a semi-professional standard. He took the opportunity to join the Civil Service at entry level and began to play football for his Civil Service team. He volunteered at the annual Civil Service Games and also helped to make up the sprint relay team for his department. The positive experience at the Civil Service Games ignited his love for athletics and he joined Kent AC - of which he is still a member - and started training. The following year he came 3rd in the 100m and in subsequent years won the 100m and the long jump.

Kent AC were keen for most athletes to learn more than one event, and he continued training under the guidance of coaches Larry Garnham and Ken Pike, taking the time and determination to master the sprint hurdles and the long jump despite his smaller physique.

"I jumped 7m for the first time in 2003 in a BAL match in Liverpool. I did 7m again in 2006 and a hurdles PB when l was almost 36 years old."

As the new millennium dawned, Joe had retired from football to concentrate on work and his family and focus on athletics. His was introduced to Masters athletics and that kept him in the sport - now training at Crystal Palace with the DSD Sports sprints group under the tutelage of Shani Palmer, Donovan Reid and David Serrant - but retaining his links with Kent AC as club captain, a coach, team manager, sprints , jumps and hurdles adviser, mentor, and later an official.

An extraordinary masters career

Joe’s masters athletics career is quite extraordinary; he’s won nine World individual gold medals in sprint hurdles, is the current M50 World Record holder in both 60m hurdles and 100m hurdles and has not been beaten in a masters championship hurdles final since 2015. One of the few to have beaten him is South African Shaun Bownes who was the 2002 Commonwealth Champion. Joe also holds two European Masters long jump titles and took bronze at last year’s World Masters indoor pentathlon.

Volunteering and helping others

Joe is passionate about helping his club - Kent AC - with whom he's been a member since the very beginning.

"The reason I have been successful is my incredible support network of family, coaches, physios, therapists and sponsors, plus my amazing training group at Kent AC. I serve on the committee there in order to give back as much as I can to the club that has supported me. I want to thank all of them for being there for me in athletics and in my medical recovery."

When catching up with Joe at the recent SEAA indoor championships where he was officiating in the Start team, Joe said that when not competing, his favourite volunteering role is as a Technical Official. I have been lucky to receive direction and support from my county and regional officiating coordinators.

"I have had the opportunity to work with so many good officials who are all different. I always try to learn from each one. Top level officials Mark Purser and Alan Bell have been brilliant - providing advice and guidance when l need it."

After gaining his Level 3 both as a Starter and Starter’s Assistant, we’re likely to see him at more England Athletics and other national level competitions not only as an athlete!

Joe was also recognised for his services to Public Health and Public Service. Joe works with Prostate Cancer UK, NHS England, and other foundations to raise awareness of prostrate cancer. A friend encouraged Joe to get tested because he had no symptoms or family history of the disease.

"I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer by chance and had surgery to remove the cancer in 2021. This is why l want to help other men. During an early stages of prostate cancer, most people will not have any symptoms. By the time they do, it may have spread and it could be too late."

He is also a volunteer for Inspiring The Future:

"I deliver career journey talks in schools, and before COVID l was a Business Advisor for the Young Enterprise company programme by supporting sixth form students through their journey in starting up a business."

Joe has shown how being inspired by athletics at any age can lead to life-changing events, whether as an athlete or a volunteer, the importance of clubs and coaches in developing athletes, and how giving back as an official doesn’t mean you have to give up on the competitive side of our sport.