Athletics Weekly

He helped to develop hundreds of hammer throwers with many achieving national success and international honours. How many of these hundreds of hammer throwers made an impact as seniors. Name me 10% of those hundreds? I'll make it easy for you, name just 20? 10 even? No long term development, just o...

There is now an online survey being conducted on the Ucoach website. The questionnaire is automatically displayed when you visit the site. UKA seem to have had a sharp kick up the backside and finally realised all is not well!

http://ucoach.com/

The article specifically states that her haemoglobin levels were high in 2009 when she won the world title. Can she be stripped of her gold medal? It talks about a two year ban but that seems meaningless if it starts this year!

Finally, UKA and England Athletics were named Governing Body of the Year in recognition of the comprehensive, researched, innovative and joined-up approach to the development of a cohesive, well functioning coaching system. UKA Head of Coaching Kevin Tyler said: A heart felt thanks goes out to ever...

The executive summary really focusses on the management of the delivery mechanism but there are one or two criticisms of the content if you read it closely. I think we first need to ask ourselves: "What is the purpose of Coach Education?". In my opinion it should have, as its core objecti...

Is it really a surprise that there are fewer people with a now defunct qualification. The number of people with O-levels is also dropping. That's not to say that there aren't fewer coaches - I genuinely have no idea what the real picture is on that front - but the number of level 2,3,4 coaches is n...

I know some may be hostile but here is a report from ABAC on coach numbers. According to ABAC the number of licensed level 2, 3 & 4 coaches has substantially reduced since 2008 with 2496 renewing their licences and a further 449 new coaches making 2945 in total. In 2008 the number was 5104. Ther...

Have just heard the very sad news that hammer coach Alan Bertram passed away yesterday. Others know him far better than I do but I have been aware of his coaching through the West London Hammer School and in the past 10 years his work in Scotland. He helped to develop hundreds of hammer throwers wit...

Here is the Inside Track article by Gwenda Ward, from which I found the Sports Coach UK review: Coach Education “Poorly planned” “blighted” and “plagued”. Official! http://www.theinsidetrack.org.uk/?p=584 We must remember that Sports Coach UK and its UKCC system was set up by the previous Labour gov...

Inside Track have published a review of coach education and it doesn't make good reading! Coach Education Delivery by England Athletics: An Independent Review by sports coach UK Executive Summary Findings Board members, staff and volunteers agree there is an urgent need for more qualified coaches, y...

UKA ready to go foreign again despite coach exodus ....A potential return for Van Commenee to his old post has emerged as an intriguing possibility, even if it is a little far-fetched after he fell on his sword when his team failed to achieve his own target of eight Olympic medals at London 2012, bu...

Is that all the Canadians back in Canada now? They managed to beat the financial crisis pretty well!! Yes that's everyone I think back to North America. They once occupied occupied the following positions: Paralympic Head Coach Head of Coaching & Development Director Loughborough Director Lee V...

Peter Eriksson to be named head coach at Athletics Canada, sources say LONDON - Peter Eriksson is stepping down as head coach of British Athletics after just seven months in the job. While the Swede says he doesn't have any plans, sources tell The Canadian Press Eriksson will be named the new head c...

Interesting that Niels de Vos stated they will review the structure and not simply replace Eriksson. There are, undoubtedly, family reasons but there is also an ever changing/evolving structure with battles fought over coaching philosophy both within athletics and with UK Sport. Out of interest what...

Eriksson will step down at the end of June for family reasons and return to Canada. Neil Black will assume head coach duties for the remainder of the summer.

http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/medi ... departure/

Neil Black predicts excellent summer medal haul for British athletes • Performance director expects small changes to deliver rewards • High hopes of strong showings in Gateshead and Moscow British athletics will "come back with a vengeance" in 2013 following performances at the London Olym...

The Telegraph link is now working so the article has not been pulled.

The link appears to be no longer available. A paralympic athlete told me last week she heard from another athlete that he may be leaving. I'm not sure his family have moved to Britain as originally planned so this may possibly have lead him to reconsider his position. It did liik likely he had an in...

Jodie opens with a 250m in 30.33 I have no idea if this is good or not but is suspect it's not that great Interesting to see this distance run in competition. it's a traditional training distance and often used as a time trial. If she went through 200m in low 23's and hung on she could possibly hav...

Rhys Williams has run his fastest-ever season opener - 49.1 - in Belgium. Of course this year GB can send 4 400m hurdlers to the World Champs. I think Nathan Woodward has had some kind of injury problem, though. I wonder if Niall Flannery can bag the A standard. A great start to the season from Rhy...

At long last an excellent appointment! Peter Stanley named as head of coaching and development at UKA Joint appointment by UKA and England Athletics is “fantastic news for the sport”, says Stanley’s former charge Jonathan Edwards .........“His appointment is fantastic news for the sport of athletics...

According to my on-screen programme guide it's on the red button 5 til 7.

Lindsey Sharp DNF at San Diego 800? Any news of the reason? She went through 400 in around 60 point something in 4th place but went backwards on the backstraight and pulled out at 600m. The race was won in 1.59.5. Video: http://usa.milesplit.com/articles/105237-5-4-wk-cain-jr-record-2-0168-video-in...

Neil Crossley 73.41 PB in the javelin.

Jax Thoirs 5.40 vault in Seattle which I assume is a new Scottish record.

Ashley Bryant 70.44 javelin during a 7975 decathlon. Both PB's.

Fantastic new PB points total for Ashley Bryant in Italy. Puts him fifth on the All-time decathlon list. http://www.iaaf.org/results/iaaf-world-combined-events-challenge/2013/26-multistars-trofeo-zerneri-acciai-5340/men/decathlon/1500-metres/points Yes but a shame he ended up just 15 points short o...

Olympic 1500m champion faces being stripped of gold medal after IAAF launch investigation

http://www.insidethegames.biz/sports/su ... estigation

It looks like Russia is getting serious. If you want to be a Sporting superpower having nobody believe your results are clean or won't be overturned in a few years kinda undermines the supposed respect that is desired by being a top power. As, from what I have gathered and discussed, the tests are ...

From the BBC: Russia's Olympic discus silver medalist Darya Pishchalnikova has been banned for 10 years for doping and will be stripped of her medal. The ban annuls Pishchalnikova's results from May 20, 2012, including her silver medal from last year's London Olympics, says the Russian track and fie...