Champions of yesteryear proudly take to the monitor on the Alexander Stadium as they relive reminiscences of their teenage triumphs
On Saturday lunchtime round 100 or so former English Faculties champions gathered within the dwelling straight of the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham earlier than becoming a member of the present teenage rivals within the conventional parade of county groups. It was an emotional second as a number of generations of the nation’s best athletes shared the highlight. How higher to have a good time the centenary of an occasion that was first staged in 1925?
The champions of yesteryear included Margaret Allum, 85, who received junior women 70 yards hurdles gold in 1954, along with Warwick Dixon, 90, the senior boys discus winner on the identical 1954 championships in Ashington in Northumberland. Remarkably, Dixon nonetheless competes at present and broke six British M90 information on the identical day not too long ago!
Olympic heptathlon champion Denise Lewis, sprints legend Donna Fraser and excessive jumper extraordinaire Dalton Grant – all relative children compared – had been among the many extra recognisable faces, with Fraser having received a outstanding six English Faculties titles throughout her teenage years.
Hurdles greats Alan Pascoe and Jon Ridgeon, each of whom have held massively influential positions within the sport since hanging up their spikes, had been additionally a part of the throng.
The latter had missed the Diamond League in Monaco with a purpose to be in Birmingham. He was within the West Midlands primarily to current the English Faculties Athletic Affiliation with a World Athletics heritage plaque. However for the worldwide governing physique’s chief government this was way more private as he received two English Faculties dash hurdles titles 30 years after his mom, Margaret, received 70 yards hurdles gold in 1954. What’s extra, certainly one of his sons, Noah, was competing within the 2025 championships within the senior boys 400m.
“English Faculties was extremely vital for me,” he advised AW. “I keep in mind feeling immensely happy with successful a title and it set me up very well for our future worldwide athletics careers.
“So many former champions being right here speaks volumes of how vital it’s. This was our first massive championship.”
Ridgeon’s mum, Margaret, added: “I feel it modified my life. I wasn’t very educational however to win that made individuals have a look at me otherwise.”
Margaret remembers that her crimson shorts, yellow vest and spikes had been all lent to her by her college. She used the concept of getting “these little crimson shorts” for motivation when attempting to qualify for her county workforce. She was additionally delighted to have the ability to hold the spikes. “I doubt there have been any sports activities retailers the place you may simply purchase footwear like that again then,” she mentioned.
Margaret, who was proudly carrying her English Faculties medal round her neck on Saturday in Birmingham, added: “Our academics very a lot taken care of us in these days. You at all times stayed with the identical group and didn’t wander away as athlete do now. We had been in digs and at all times with pals there, by no means alone.”
Even the prepare journey from her dwelling in Suffolk to the championships in Northumberland was an journey. “Afterwards, I wasn’t positive I’d received, however after I discovered that I did it made me really feel so particular attaining one thing I didn’t assume I’d obtain.”
On condition that the championship had solely been going for 29 years when she received her gold, was it already a giant deal again at that stage? “Oh sure, positively,” she mentioned, though she says she by no means felt the urge to brag about it to her son, Jon.
Dixon was one of many oldest winners on the 1954 championships and he went on to throw for Britain in senior athletics … and finally masters athletics.
Amazingly he’s nonetheless going at present. “I had a brief break not too long ago and I jokingly name them my ‘hole years’ earlier than coming into the brand new age group as an over-90,” he mentioned. “My recommendation is don’t take a break because it’s more durable to get again into it!”
Dixon spent a lot of his grownup life instructing in Loughborough. He nonetheless seems in effective form as nicely. As does Pascoe, 77, who received dash hurdles gold twice after some earlier close to misses.
“It was transformational to me,” mentioned Pascoe, who went on to win European and Commonwealth 400m hurdles titles. “It was after I realised, the second time I got here right here, that I may do fairly nicely as an athlete. I used to be a council home child and we didn’t actually have household holidays apart from with kinfolk so being billeted out was thrilling.”
READ MORE: 100 years of the English Faculties
A number of previous winners on Saturday had gold medal successful kids at these 2025 championships. They included discus thrower Emeka Udechuku, shot putter Julie Dunkley and excessive jumper Brendan Reilly.
To have a good time 100 years of championships is sort of some milestone. For a whole century the English Faculties has acted as a springboard for fulfillment for a number of generations of proficient athletes. Such is its longevity, the English Faculties even pre-dates AW by 20 years.
“100 years is a fairly spectacular achievement and it was positively price turning as much as have a good time that,” mentioned Ridgeon. “It’s nonetheless at present of basic significance so lengthy could it proceed.”
2025 championship information
SaturdayEthan Franklin (Essex), senior boys 200m, 20.85Rayhan Mourtada (Kent), senior boys 400m hurdles, 51.45Harriet Court docket (Kent), senior women javelin, 52.68mLucia Bertacchini (Hampshire), inter women 300m hurdles, 41.13Divine Iheme (Oxfordshire), inter boys 100m, 10.41Isla Perry (Devon), junior women 300m, 38.61Annabelle Fasuba (Devon), junior women 200m, 23.72Hugo Bucher (Middlesex), junior boys javelin, 69.89mLancashire, blended relay seniors, 44.21Cheshire, blended relay inters, 43.90Devon, blended relay juniors 45.98
FridayDaniel Emegbor (Hertfordshire), inter boys lengthy bounce, 7.80mLeila Newth (Middlesex), inter women triple bounce, 12.59mIsla Perry (Devon), junior women 300m heats, 39.18 (improved in Saturday’s closing)Adanna Udechuku (Essex), junior women shot, 14.08mEssex, 400m senior boys, 40.55Surrey, 4x100m junior boys, 43.33
Full outcomes right here.
