Supporting athletes in Medway

In England, having a countrywide network of safe, compliant track and field facilities is crucial in servicing both the training and competitive needs of our affiliated track and field clubs.

England Athletics and UK Athletics work closely with venue operators to support good management and maintenance. Occasionally venues fall below the minimum standards required by the governing body (UK Athletics TrackMark criteria) and this was the case at Medway Park at the start of the 2025 when – following an inspection – the facility had failed several essential TrackMark criteria.

Medway Park, home to Medway and Maidstone AC, is a hub of activity for not only the athletics club but other key stakeholders in the community.

Paul Johnston from Medway Council explains the facility usage:

"There are over 3500 members of Medway Park who utilise the track as part of their membership. In addition to this we host regular athletics meetings, school sports days, weekly PE lessons and various different club bookings."

Hosting training sessions and countless competitions across the year, it is vital that this facility stays in good condition.

England Athletics’ Facilities and Planning Manager, Ed Hunt, explains how as a governing body England Athletics was able to help get the facility ready for the summer season:

“TrackMark accreditation is essential not only to deem the facility as safe for everyday use, but also to confirm that the venue meets all the rulebook requirements for licensed competition. Following a TrackMark reaccreditation inspection, the local council approached us as the facility had failed to reach as the required standards with a number of actions being required to bring the facility back into compliance."

"We were delighted to be able to work with the leisure centre and council to provide the necessary support they needed to help them to commission a professional track clean, resurface the javelin runway, purchase a new high jump bed, and upgrade their hammer and discus throws cage."

Upon completion Councillor, Paul Johnston, summarised the impact that the repair and refurbishment work had on the local community:

"The improved aesthetics as well as grip since the track clean has been very well received by the various stakeholders of track. The centre is local authority managed and as such any help to support the centre in improvements such as the track cleaning is very much appreciated and helps safeguard the future of important facilities such as Medway Park."

Chair of Medway and Maidstone AC, Sarah Kenyon, added how this support has benefitted its athletes this summer:

"Our club, Medway and Maidstone AC, were grateful to England Athletics in helping us prepare for the 2025 season. With our TrackMark inspection due at the very beginning of the season, we had to work hard to ensure all our track and field equipment was compliant. This ensured that we got our Track Mark renewal and allowed us to get our required licenses in time for our many 2025 meetings."

“We had several queries leading up to and following our assessment and the England Athletics Club Support team provided us with good advice. An online face-to-face meeting with Ed Hunt (UK Facilities and Planning Manager) and our Equipment Officer Steve Hesketh was particularly useful in resolving outstanding queries. 

"This season we also had a comprehensive track clean, and England Athletics provided an essential grant contribution towards this work."

What is TrackMark?

TrackMark is UKA’s facility accreditation scheme for track and field facilities.