In the News!

23 April 2010

In the news! Latest on athletics-related stories in the UK press.

Athletics has had great coverage this week with a number of national titles covering the approach to the Virgin London Marathon, as well as the launch of Aviva’s Elevating Athletics Fund.

• Following Mara Yamauchi’s Marathon journey to reach the Sunday 26.2 miles around the Capital were daily accounts from The Telegraph, with also the Daily Mail, Guardian and Daily Express following up on the latest.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/london-marathon/7621379/London-Marathon-2010-Mara-Yamauchi-fears-long-journey-to-UK-may-hurt-her-chances.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/apr/22/mara-yamauchi-london-marathon

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-1268113/Mara-Yamauchis-epic-journey-to-London-Marathon.html

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/170706/Marathon:-Mara-Yamauchi-makes-it-for-London/

• The launch of Aviva’s Elevating Athletics Fund was a key story at the end of the week with athletics’ number one sponsor pledging to fund a free place on athletics teaching courses for every school in the UK. Up to 30,000 teachers could benefit from the scheme and will put athletics and the forefront of the School sports curriculum.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/schoolsports/7620686/Move-to-inspire-the-next-generation-of-school-athletes.html

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/athletics/article7105636.ece

• The announcement that the Priory Group had been signed by UKA to provide background support services for athletes caught the imagination of many newspapers used to hearing the service associated with hell raising pop-stars. The group will cover areas of athlete welfare including support for mental health, eating disorders and other specialist areas.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/athletics/article7103089.ece

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/apr/21/uk-athletics-priory-olympic-games

• Finally Jessica Ennis received an award in the name of late Daily Mail columnist Ian Wooldridge. The Wooldridge award voted for by Daily Mail readers recognised Ennis’ comeback culminating in the World Championships Gold Medal in Berlin last August.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-1267586/The-Ian-Wooldridge-Award-Comeback-queen-Jessica-Ennis-tops-poll.html