Tom McNab - 1933-2026
England Athletics are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Tom McNab, aged 92.
Tom had an extremely positive impact on so many people in athletics, whether that be through his coaching, his public speaking, and then also hosting our Coaching Voices podcast in recent years.
He was a leading figure in the sporting world more generally also, having coached Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford, Chelsea FC to the 1970 FA Cup, and the English rugby team to World Cup silver in 1991. He was Technical Director of the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire (1981), and wrote several novels including the best-seller Flanagan’s Run.
Tom also created the Five Star Award Scheme while he was National Athletics coach with the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) in the 1960s.
It became one of the most successful school athletics programmes ever introduced in Britain.
It was an athletics achievement programme designed for secondary school pupils. It allowed every child, not just talented athletes, to measure their own improvement across running, jumping and throwing events.
The effect Tom had on the athletics community is encapsulated by the following heartfelt tributes to him:
CEO Chris Jones' tribute to Tom
"On behalf of everyone at England Athletics, I want to express our heartfelt emotion, empathy and condolences to Jenny McNab and Tom`s family during this hugely emotional time.
"Tom was a UK coaching great but so much more than that. His authority on the history and heritage of our sport, together with his ability as a novelist and playwright of great repute has left an indelible mark and his passion, enthusiasm, and dedication to sport over many decades has been felt by many.
"He was always willing to share his views and experience with those who wanted support. Beyond coaching a number of Olympians including Lorna Boothe MBE, Andrea Lynch MBE, and 2012 Gold medallist Greg Rutherford MBE, and many others during his career, Tom had previously worked with England Athletics in a number of guises over the years including at national coaching conferences, as an after dinner speaker, and in narrating a coaches podcast series a few years ago.
"His knowledge also benefitted other sports, most noticeably during his career in the late 1980s with the English Rugby team as he sought to enhance their strength, conditioning and fitness - an aspect that is now part and parcel of such a performance environment but which at the time was pretty trailblazing.
"Tom also served as a director on the Sport England regional board in the east in the early part of the century distributing lottery funds to sports projects across the region.
"On a personal level, I shall miss our discussions a great deal and shall hold fondly the memories of him talking me through his experiences working on his novel Flanagan's Run, the Oscar-winning motion picture Chariots of Fire, his theatrical play 1936, and the days working on numerous Olympic teams alongside his great friends and coaching legends the late John Anderson and Wilf Paish.
"I had the honour of sitting beside Tom's bed at his home during his final days and talking with him about his life and memories. It was an experience that will stay with me and our sport is far poorer for his passing, but far greater for his contributions over the near century that he was with us. He will be missed greatly."
Lorna Boothe MBE, in tribute to Tom
England Athletics Elected Director Lorna Boothe MBE was coached by Tom on her way to the Olympics, and achieving a British record.
"Tom will leave a big gap in my life. I'll miss those regular visits and catch ups. That gruff voice on the phone saying, 'so when are we going to see you? When are you coming up?'
"Tom helped me fulfill my dreams I had as a child of getting to the Olympics and British record, he continued to feed my passion and inspired me as an adult. Coach, mentor, friend. RIP Coach."