WARRINGTON’S super new Victoria Park athletics arena has been officially opened – and 50 potential Olympians of the future just couldn’t wait to be first on the track.
The Mayor, Cllr Peter Carey, hardly had chance to cut the ribbon before the youngsters sprinted across to among the first to put the new, blue, running track to the test.
It rained and rained – but this didn’t dampen any spirits as races and medal presentations carried on regardless.
Celebrity guests included Jenny Meadows, current European Indoor Champion at 800 metres, John Nicolls, Masters shot putt athlete and Warrington Sports Personality of the Year 2007 and representatives from the 
borough council.
Members of Warrington Athletics Club were there – and there was a special surprise for one of them, Neville Jones, when a plaque was unveiled to celebrate his 50 years voluntary service with the club.
Two club members who are now internationals – Alex Wort, 19 who is a multi eventer and sprinter James Gladman, 20 – made a special trip back from university to be part of the celebrations.
Warrington Athletics Club will use the track as their home venue and stage North West regional open track and field athletics meetings during the open season.
As the first multi sport facility of its kind in the town, the arena can accommodate competitions from junior to senior elite level, and is fully accessible for disabled users.
The new, eight lane, 400 metre, blue athletics track has state of the art sports pitch drainage, specialist materials and has been installed to UK Athletics national quality standard.
There is a new open age rugby league/football pitch in the centre of the track while field events such as javelin and pole vault have been relocated to the outside of the track lanes.
The opening of the track comes just two months ahead of Warrington Athletics Club celebrating its 130th anniversary.
Club chairman Joanie Smythe said: “I am sure that I can speak on behalf of all the athletes, coaches, parents and committee to express a huge ‘Thank You’ to Warrington Borough Council, specifically the managers and groundsmen, for all their valued support that they provide to the club which without we would struggle to provide the outstanding open meeting, training sessions etc.
“In addition, the club have seen great success with its athletes gaining international honours at both junior and senior level over the last 40 years, but the club is most proud of its achievement and tradition of developing local young athletes to compete to the best of their abilities, to develop them as young adults and to establish friendships that last into our senior years.”
Cllr Kate Hannon, the council’s lead member for leisure, community and culture, said: “This was a superb event. There was a real buzz about the place and we have been inspired by the enthusiasm of all the athletes. This is a fantastic multi sporting facility that will be a great asset to the town.
“The enthusiasm of the club towards this project shows how much this facility means to them and will attract regional events, which is good for the sport and the town.”
The project is part of the council’s ongoing investment into the park and there is more investment and improvements still to come during the next few years.
Pictured: The opening ceremony and (right), the Mayor with Jenny Meadows.
1 Comment
It was great to see the enthusiasm on the faces of youngster athletes as they ran around new blue Victoria Park track following last week’s opening ceremony.
This is fantastic news for Warrington Athletic Club whose members no longer have to train on their rivals track and risk athletes being poached. This Olympic Legacy may be 12 months behind the London Games but it has arrived and training and racing can resume.
I was also very pleased to see many old friends and faces from when I last trained there the 25 years ago. Several of them have become dedicated coaches and officials and turn out twice a week at track side no matter what the weather as well as for the weekend racing.
Sadly others have passed on but having said this they have left their own legacy in how to live life through athletics. I realised this recently at the funeral of Jimmy Crehan. It was said in the church that he had led his life as if it was a running race and never gave up. He was a great inspiration to us all in Burt Quennells’ training group and in competition encouraging us all and leading by example. He realised that his wife stood a better chance of competing at the highest level and took on the role as her chance. We were all very pleased for them both when she competed in the 1988 Sue to the Seoul Olympic Marathon.
It was great training on the old track with athletes of this calibre along with the very talented Warrington born athletes including the Green brothers, Steve Burthem, British Fell Running Champion Mark Kinch and many more. The combination of great coaches, facilities and talent mean to Warrington.
Another of my inspirations who I never met was the club’s first and possibly only Olympic medal winning Olympian, Chris Vose. He captained the 1920 Silver Winning Cross Country Team in Antwerp. I took on the challenge in 1989 of bring the race named in his honour to Victoria Park. I have often thought that it would be great for the arena to take his name i.e. ‘The Chris Vose Olympic Arena’. It would be something that would remind everyone of what can be achieved especially the youngsters who took part in the opening races on the new blue track. They received medals from the Mayor but I bet that they went home dreaming of receiving Olympic Gold in years to come.