News

The Athletics Museum launched

Telling the stories of athletics - everybody can set a personal best

The Athletics Museum is pleased to announce that their online exhibition is now live at www.theathleticsmuseum.org.uk.  Following the cancellation of the England Athletics Age Group championships and the ESAA championships themselves, the proposed physical exhibitions that were to be displayed there have been moved online.

The Athletics Museum is a project inspired by the AAA. The first online exhibition traces the history of the English Schools’ Athletics Association (ESAA) championships; stories and anecdotes from participants, archive material from its inauguration in 1925 up to the modern day, and past champions and athletes who have gone on to achieve further success, in both track and field and 16 other sports. There’s also a look back at Tokyo Olympics 1964, Tokyo Worlds 1991 and forward to the Tokyo Olympics 2022.

England Athletics’ website executive Nicola Evans has built the site, with extensive preparation having been made by John Mackie and researcher Jane Ainsworth, - plus contributions from Honorary Secretary Chris Cohen, Mike Fleet, Peter Radford, Mick Hill and many others, and including photos by Mark Shearman, Job King and the ESAA archive.

This is The Athletics Museum’s first project and it is hoped to expand the virtual ‘rooms’ within on other interesting topics from our sport.

Philip Andrew (Head of Heritage at the AAA) said "The Athletics Museum team would welcome feedback and to hear from anyone interested in getting involved with the project. by contacting us at hello@theathleticsmuseum.org.uk."

Why not take a look at what Katharine Merry is enthusing about? "Well done all on the website ... a great start with huge potential. I know this takes a lot of hard work and it is appreciated."

Chris Cohen (ESAA Honorary Secretary) added, "We are hoping that, as in 1946, ESAA return from lockdown with more enthusiasm and reaching more athletes than ever before."

Click here to go to The Athletics Museum website