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The England Athletics Podcast

Author: England Athletics

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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, nostalgia and mental health.

Interact with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to share your views.

Licencing: Please see soundcloud.com/englandathletics/ for details of the music used in this podcast.
97 Episodes
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Sophie Power is a role model for ultra-runners and women around the world. In a fascinating conversation with England Athletics' Barry Hopkins at the National Running Show, Power talks about the moments that have shaped her inspiring career-to-date. You may have seen the viral photo of Power breast-feeding her three-month-old baby at the 106-mile Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc race in 2018. She discusses how it completely changed her life and made her rethink her priorities and focus more time on her children. More recently, she was part of Great Britain's gold medal-winning team at last year's IAU 24-Hour World Championships.
1990 Commonwealth 10,000m champion Eamonn Martin is the latest special guest in a series building up to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Martin reminisces about that glorious moment when he sped away to victory in Auckland 35 years ago, along with his London Marathon victory 1993. He remains the last Briton to win the men's race, and amazingly, he did it on his debut at the distance. The three-time Olympian also tells host Alex Seftel about how he is trying to bring entertainment to cross country as he prepares to host the London Cross Challenge Meeting. It's a busy time of year, as he is also team managing for both England and UK Athletics.
The latest England Athletics Podcast features two winners of Coach of the Year as part of our Regional Volunteer Awards 2025. Wenlock Olympians coach Camilla Stewart was victorious in the West Midlands, while Victor Oyesola of West Cheshire AC won the award in the North West region. In conversation with host Alex Seftel, the pair discuss how they got into coaching, their journey in the sport so far, and what motivates them.
The latest England Athletics Podcast, featuring three-time Commonwealth champion Tessa Sanderson, is the first of a series of episodes building up to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Sanderson won for England in 1978, 1986 and 1990 and also famously took home the gold medal from the 1984 Olympic Games. She made history as the first black British woman to win the Olympics and the first Briton to win an Olympic throwing event. In conversation with host Alex Seftel, coinciding with Black History Month, she discusses her battles with great rivals like Fatima Whitbread and how she excelled at major championships when it mattered.
Heptathlete Jade O'Dowda and hammer thrower Jake Norris speak at the Manchester International, previewing the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Hannah Cockroft and Bebe Jackson also join to look forward to the World Para Athletics Championships, which are taking place in New Delhi from 27 September to 5 October. Rebecca Perry tells us about her bid to take on the heptathlon at next month's European Masters Athletics Championships in Madeira. Perry, who is a lawyer and mother to twins, was originally known as a sprinter, before taking an extended break from the sport seven years ago. Photo: Getty Images for UK Athletics.
It's been a summer of athletics that has kept Birmingham's Alexander Stadium busy! Ellen Barber, who recently won the England heptathlon title there, joins host Alex Seftel to talk about her multi-eventing talents that extend beyond track and field. A rich family history within horse racing meant that was the first sport that came naturally to her, while she is also a part-time architect and property coordinator. Alex also provides a round up of the recent England Athletics Age Group Championships from the Alexander Stadium, bringing in stadium announcer Harrison Mayne to discuss the three-day event.
Mohammed Riaz Sabir is a visually impaired athlete from Rotherham who has less than five per cent of his sight. He trains on his treadmill at home, but came to England Athletics because he wants to pursue his dream to run outside with the support of a guide runner, and maybe one day run the London Marathon. But so far, he hasn't been able to find a guide. He tells Alex Seftel the story of losing his sight later in life, how he has adapted, and his hopes for the future.
In the latest podcast, two-time Paralympic champion Richard Whitehead discusses the impact of the sport on his mental health and his challenge of completing 100 career marathons by November this year.
What's it like to bring up and support a global champion? In the latest England Athletics Podcast, Amber Anning's mum Mel gives a behind the scenes view on their journey together, including the highs and lows of the indoor season in which she won world indoor 400m gold. She also tells host Alex Seftel about her involvement in getting the late Lloyd Cowan to coach her daughter, and the Brighton and Hove AC athlete's development from young hopeful to double Olympic medallist. Photo: Anning Family
400m runner Poppy Malik describes her excitement after a breakthrough indoor season which saw her selected to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland at her first major championships. That debut at the European Indoors in Apeldoorn has been followed by another selection for May's World Relays for the Loughborough-based 21-year-old. She tells host Alex Seftel about what it was like to rub shoulders with the greats of the sport, what she does during downtime between competition rounds, and what she has gained from being part of our Senior Talent Programme.
George Mills and Georgia Hunter Bell are among the athletes to give their reaction to title-winning performances at the UK Indoor Athletics Championships in Birmingham. Photo: Getty Images for British Athletics.
World medallists Jo Pavey, Rio Mitcham and Sara Willhoit join host Alex Seftel at the National Running Show to discuss their passion for running as England Athletics launches its new individual membership, RUN:EA. Recorded at the NEC in Birmingham, the guest trio talk about their similarities and differences as athletes, offering advice for those looking to take the sport more seriously. They also explain the benefits of being part of the athletics community, rather than solely training alone self-coached. You can join RUN:EA for £30 a year. Head to englandathletics.org/runea
In the latest episode of the England Athletics Podcast, two-time Commonwealth medallist Jade Lally reflects on her career following her retirement from discus throwing. Lally won silver at Birmingham 2022 and bronze at Glasgow 2014 with Team England, competing at four Commonwealth Games in total. In a wide-ranging, honest discussion, the England record holder also talks about her job as a personal trainer and coach, her foray into indoor rowing in Australia, and the challenges associated with returning to the sport after becoming a mum.
In the latest episode of the England Athletics Podcast, England senior 400m hurdles champion Tyri Donovan describes how he recovered from a serious injury to have his best ever season this year. CEO Chris Jones also joins the show to reflect on a successful summer and assess the current priorities for those working in the sport domestically.
Olympic medallist Marilyn Okoro joins the podcast to discuss her transition from competitive athletics into a job in the corporate world, alongside her role as an England Athletics board member. In this episode which marks Black History Month, she also discusses the importance of celebrating the success of black athletes, from Kelly Holmes to Tessa Sanderson. Okoro has found that many of her skills are transferrable, while many of the causes that she spoke up for as a competitor - including athlete welfare and diversity - still need work today. Photo: Mark Shearman
"It's phenomenal, I can't believe it," says Great Britain's Dan Pembroke after winning his second Paralympic F13 javelin title in Paris, obliterating the world record in the process. Pembroke talks to podcast host Alex Seftel about his journey in the sport, from missing out on the London 2012 Olympics through injury, to the deterioration of his eyesight and becoming a para athlete. "There's no regrets, because I'm here now, and I'm being given a second chance to do a sport that I absolutely love," Dan adds.
Great Britain's Didi Okoh tells her story ahead of making her major championship debut in the 100m at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. We also catch up with Paralympic high jump champion Jonathan Broom-Edwards at the England Athletics Senior Championships. Photo: Pat Isaacs.
The second episode of the heritage-focused Chariots of Fire series sees the film's technical director Tom McNab give listeners the opportunity to answer questions about the film. In conversation with Alex Seftel, McNab details his excitement in watching the Paris 2024 Games, as well as suggesting which other Olympics would be suitable for dramatisation in a film.
In the latest episode of the England Athletics Podcast, four Olympic debutants describe what it means to be part of Team GB at Paris 2024. European 400m silver medallist Charlie Dobson is pleasantly surprised by his progression after running a personal best of 44.23 seconds at the recent London Diamond League meeting. Charlotte Purdue - who competed for Team England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games - is delighted to finally have an Olympic opportunity in the marathon. Commonwealth heptathlon bronze medallist Jade O'Dowda is full of confidence after a personal best of 6314 points at the recent European Athletics Championships put her sixth on the UK all-time list. World and European medallist Alex Haydock-Wilson discusses the importance of Olympians supporting their clubs and what it means to compete as a team in athletics, including with his brothers Max and Jamie. Alex is part of the squads for the men's and mixed 4x400m relays in Paris.
The latest England Athletics Podcast features a round-up from the UK Athletics Championships in Manchester, where Olympic hopefuls booked their spots at this summer's Paris 2024 Games. 17-year-old Phoebe Gill describes to host Alex Seftel what it means to have won her first senior Great Britain and Northern Ireland vest after a stunning performance to win gold in the women's 800m in a brilliant time of 1 minute 58.66 seconds. Dina Asher-Smith, Alastair Chalmers, Amber Anning, Lina NIelsen and Morgan Lake also join after winning their respective events at the championships to qualify for Paris. Callum Wilkinson is likely to join them, while Efe Uwaifo is delighted to win back-to-back British triple jump titles and talks about balancing the sport with working in finance. Photo: Getty Images for UK Athletics
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Comments (1)

michael reeves

I very much enjoyed the coaching voices series.A brilliant insight into coaching would love to hear more.

Dec 1st
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