Talented Athlete and Coach Pathway

England Athletics works to grow opportunities for everyone to experience athletics and running, to enable them to reach their full potential.

The Talented Athlete and Coach Pathway provides a progressive support structure for athletes and coaches to develop skills and competencies with the aim of moving athletes on to representative honours at England and GB Level.

From school into club athletics and parallel support through the pathway programmes, the aim is to ensure the journey of the athlete and coach reaches its full potential. Athletics is an inclusive and diverse sport that provides excitement, challenge and lifelong enjoyment. Supporting talented individuals and the wider athletics club community through pathway programmes and talent hubs is the vision.

Olympic and Paralympic talent pathway

The below diagram illustrates the athlete pathway from national age group to Olympic and World Championship level.

• Learn more about the Paralympic Talent Programme

Talent pathway staff

Youth Talent Programme Manager

Alan Richardson arichardson@englandathletics.org  07586 496274

Event Group Leads

• Speed: Shani Palmer spalmer@englandathletics.org
• Endurance: Spencer Duval   sduval@englandathletics.org
• Jumps and Combined Events: Darren Ritchie dritchie@englandathletics.org
• Throws: Nick Ridgeon nridgeon@englandathletics.org

Talent Event Leads

• Shot: Stuart Carlaw
• Discus: Mark Chapman
• Hammer: Paul Head
• Javelin: David Turner
• High Jump: Denis Doyle
• Pole Vault: Scott Simpson
• Horizontal Jumps: Aston Moore, Frank Attoh
• Combined Events: Rafer Joseph
• Endurance: Kyle Bennett, Jo Wilkinson, Darren Reevell

YTP coaches

• Shot: Garry Power (London), Stuart Carlaw (Loughborough)
• Discus: Mark Chapman (London), Shadine Duquemin (Loughborough)
• Hammer: Paul Head (London), Rob Careless (Loughborough)
• Javelin: Alison O’Riordan (London), David Turner (Loughborough)
• High Jump: Julian Reid (Birmingham), Denis Doyle / Julian Machin (London), Deirdre Elmhirst / Simon Phelan (Loughborough)
• Pole Vault: Allan Williams (London), Kate Rooney (Loughborough)
• Long Jump: Jade Surman (Birmingham), John Shepherd / Denis Costello (London), Lukasz Zawila (Loughborough)
• Triple Jump: Jade Surman (Birmingham), Guy Spencer (London), Lukasz Zawila (Loughborough)
• Combined Events: Darren Hatton (London), David Feeney (Loughborough)
• Endurance: Kieran Hall / Andi Drake (Leeds), Dean Miller / Matt Long / Andy Heyes (Birmingham), Jo Wilkinson / Richard Pickering (London and Loughborough)

Find out more

Visit the links below to find out more about the Youth, Junior and Senior and Paralympic Talent Programmes.