'Now help our young athletes' says Sheffield campaigner amid Northern Olympics talk
Today’s juniors will be Olympians of 2040s
The Government has commissioned research into whether such a games would be a possibility in the North of England in the 2040s. It would look at whether it could to use sports to power regeneration of towns and cities.
But first, the athletics community wants to see facilities in place now for Sheffield’s current junior athletes of today, who would be of the age to compete in the 2040s. As it is, they are unable to use the city’s Woodbourn Road stadium. It was closed, and now only re-opened for sessions with qualified official coaches.
Greg Rimmer, a member of Sheffield and Dearne Athletics Club and a volunteer field judge for England Athletics, who has campaigned for improvements for the city’s athletics facilities, backs the idea of a Northern Olympics.
He said: “I think it would be great. But the people who are competing in athletics at that time will be the kids who would going to school sports days now.
“Because Sheffield has not got its facilities, they are missing those now, and missing sessions at the track. In 2040, today’s 16 year old will be 30. Primary school pupils will be in their mid 20s, and it is they who are missing the facilities now.”
He said the athletics community was grateful that Woodbourn Road had re-opened on certain evenings for official coaching sessions.
But he cannot understand why the track cannot re-open, regardless of whether it is regarded as meeting official meeting standards, which he believes will only mean records set on the track would not be counted officially.
He added: “Sport in Sheffield didn’t do well out of the Olympic Legacy of 2012. We lost Don Valley - the site, perfectly placed for a replacement athletics stadium next to the EIS was turned over to academic and research use, and Woodbourn Road was spruced up as the City Athletics Stadium. It has been a story of decline since then with a lack of maintenance culminating in closure early this year. If you missed your year six school sports day this year because of closure of the city athletics track, its highly unlikely you will be working towards Olympic qualification in the 2040s
“Major sporting events provide a fantastic spectacle, can bring investment, housing, jobs and well-being to communities, but you’ve got to have the players.”
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Hallam University said recently: “The track cannot be used athletics competitions, events, school sports days or independent training. Whilst we understand that this doesn't provide a solution for all users, we hope this revised arrangement will allow athletes to return to training at Woodburn Road and provide a practical way for the athletics community to continue making use of the facility.
“We recognise that the closure of the track has been frustrating for coaches, athletes and clubs who rely on the facility, and we would like to thank you/them for your/their patience while we have worked through the finding of the recent inspection and sought advice from UKA ( UK Athletics ).
“We are working with Sheffield City Council to find a long-term solution that protects the future of the track and keeps it serving the Sheffield Community.”