The England Athletics Podcast

Alex Seftel is joined by athletes Jack Green, Joe Fuggle and Darcey Kuypers for an in-depth discussion on mental health, covering everything from pressure to burnout and comparison to wellbeing within the sport. Jack is a two-time Olympian and a long-time advocate for speaking out about depression. Joe is an English Schools-winning 400m hurdler who recently founded a platform called 'The Athlete P...

British javelin thrower Harry Hughes has high hopes for 2021 after successfully raising £5,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to pay for surgery on his elbow. Last year the 23-year-old became the first Brit to throw a javelin over 80 metres since 2012, but he has had to battle with a number of injuries in recent seasons and has two screws in his elbow. Alongside that, England Athletics' Head of Coach...

In our latest episode you will hear a chat with international distance runner Phil Sesemann, who combines athletics with working as a junior doctor in an accident and emergency department in Leeds. Meanwhile, Chris Jones has visited Peterborough and Nene Valley Athletics Club to learn more about their success since merging to form one club last year, and to see how they are managing the impact of...

What would you do if you had the chance to give away millions of pounds? Entrepreneur Barrie Wells decided to donate the money to fund athletes including Katarina-Johnson Thompson on their journeys towards the London 2012 Olympic Games. Barrie - the grandson of a former world pole vault record-holder - has also supported a huge number of seriously ill children as part of an initiative called Box4K...

After postponing plans including her wedding day, 800 metre runner Alex Bell talks about where her mindset is without a major competition to focus on this year. She also reflects on the agony faced over selection and funding issues and hopes she can be a "brick in the wall" when it comes to changing the sport. Meanwhile, England Athletics' Andy Anstey joins Alex Seftel to discuss an exciting set o...

Young international shot putters Serena Vincent and Lewis Byng tell Alex Seftel about the best things they've learnt in their careers to date and explain how they've been competing virtually in lockdown. Meanwhile, Chris Jones has been on a tour of Lincoln Wellington Athletic Club, where he met RaceRunning teenager Thomas Talbot, and Invictus Games champion Debbie O'Connell.

Olympic medallist Kelly Sotherton speaks about her excitement after being named as Team England's track and field Team Leader for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Meanwhile, having started out as a kickboxer, 37-year-old athlete and artist Gavin Johnson-Assoon says he feels "as powerful as ever" after claiming the England javelin title last summer. You'll hear interesting discussions at Str...

Join us for a panel discussion with advice on how we can all adapt to the coronavirus situation including information on support available from England Athletics. Fresh from being rejuvenated by a charity dance competition, Olympic medallist Marilyn Okoro chats to Alex Seftel about her fight for a place in the sport, whether to prove to her mum that she had chosen the right career path, or to gain...

Olympic medallist Kelly Massey chats to Alex Seftel about what she does and doesn't miss now she's hung up her competition spikes. Kelly opens up on the anxiety around choosing when to call it a day and tells us about a study she is doing on athletes who have retired from elite sport. You'll also hear from young hurdler Joe Harding, while Chris Jones has been on a club visit to Guernsey and has ca...

Recorded at the Combined Events Indoor Championships in Sheffield, this month's podcast hears from parents, athletes, coaches and officials with a range of views on what can be done to support them. It comes as England Athletics looks for feedback on its Future Strategy to improve the sport and help more competitors reach their potential. To have your say, head to englandathletics.org or search fo...

Alex Seftel looks at what has been done to celebrate 50 years of clubs competing against each other in the British Athletics League. Meanwhile, world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson explains our funetics programme to get children active with running, jumping and throwing, and Chris Jones goes on a club to visit to Cornwall.

Chris Jones meets a member of Great Britain's World Transplant Games squad on a visit to Leighton Buzzard. Also this month, you'll hear about track and field innovation in Denmark, a thriving club in Newcastle-under-Lyme, and what it's like to be a dedicated volunteer official.

If you could change one thing about the sport, what would it be? Pole vaulter and British record-holder Holly Bradshaw and former sprinter Montell Douglas are among those asked this question by Alex Seftel in our latest podcast. We've also been to visit Redway Runners in Milton Keynes to find out how the club has gone from being a small group of individuals to having more than 2,500 members. Photo...

Toni Minichiello, Abigail Irozuru and Naomi Ogbeta join Chris Jones, Dean Hardman and Martin Rush from England Athletics for a special debate to discuss what can be done to improve track and field participation and keep young people in the sport for longer. It follows research by England Athletics on the number of young athletes dropping out of the sport. Read more on the research here: https://bu...

This podcast has an uplifting tone that you'll want to savour! There is delight for young athletes qualifying for the European Under 20 and Under 23 Championships in Sweden, while masters runners put on an England vest for the first time at the Great Birmingham 10K. If you have anything you would like us to discuss, get in touch via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or e-mail info@englandathletics.org...

Hear the fascinating story of John Tarrant, who was dubbed "The Ghost Runner" for his habit of gatecrashing races from which he was barred, after he was judged to be a professional for taking money for boxing fights as a young man. Also this month, Chris Jones has been to visit Vale of Aylesbury Athletic Club in Buckinghamshire to find out what makes it successful. As ever, if there's anything you...

In this episode, you'll hear from a man who took up running aged 55 and is about to embark on his ninth London Marathon. Dana Power runs as "Puff the Asthma Dragon" for charity and is something of a cult hero in his hometown of Bridgnorth in Shropshire. Meanwhile, Chris Jones has once again been out reporting at a club visit. This time he is hosted by Winchester and District Athletics Club. There...

The indoor season has seen emerging young prospects battle it out for national honours at the England Athletics Indoor Age Group Championships in Sheffield. As well as going behind the scenes there, CEO Chris Jones has been to visit Gateshead Harriers to meet everyone from those running the club, to veterans and aspiring teenagers. Got something you'd like us to discuss? Get in touch via Facebook,...

This month you'll hear stories from our Road Running Roadshow in Crawley. We chat to James Westlake, who was released by Millwall Football Club aged 15, and is now an England international marathon runner. Meanwhile, Chris Jones has been out visiting Stevenage and North Herts Athletics Club, talking to coaches, volunteers and participants to find out what makes it tick. Want to join in the discuss...

Hear details of proposed changes to England Athletics' volunteer-led council system. There's a full set of documents on the plans at englandathletics.org. Also in this episode, find out what it was like for a masters athlete to make his England debut after taking running seriously later in life.

This winter, England Athletics launched the #gocoach campaign to find 10,000 new coaches. In episode 3 of the podcast, you'll hear Dina Asher-Smith and her coach John Blackie discuss what makes their relationship so special. There's also the 100th visit as part of the Club Run initiative, which sees England Athletics go out to clubs around the country to help develop coaching skills. This month's...

Our Hall of Fame and Volunteer Awards night is a fantastic opportunity to recognise the great contributions made by people throughout the sport - from achievers at the highest level of track and field competition - to the officials and coaches who work in grassroots. Soak up the atmosphere in this episode as you hear from inductees including Katharine Merry, Aston Moore, and Peter Matthews, along...

Introducing the England Athletics Podcast. In this first full episode, you'll hear from Olympic champion Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill and meet volunteers who love running. Meanwhile, Dean Hardman and Chris Jones give a flavour of the work that goes on behind the scenes to make our sport a success. You can always get involved if you have any stories or anything you'd like to be discussed. Head to the En...

A taste of what's to come on the all new England Athletics podcast. We want to hear your stories, feature your club and discuss the issues that matter to you in athletics, covering everything from participation, to performance and nostalgia to mental health. Interact with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to share your views.