Legacy Issue 2

RISING STAR ABI SET FOR HOME DEBUT CHAMPS

Multi-eventerAbiPawletthasjustbeen selectedforherfirstWorld ChampionshipsinGlasgowthisweekend. Wesatdownandchattedtoherabouther seasonsofar...

You’ve had an incredible indoor season - worlds is the cherry inthetop.Canyoutalkusthroughthisseason?

Indoors started super early for me in late December to prepare for the England/UK Championships, which for combined events is at the beginning of January With this being my first indoors in 4 years I really had no big expectations going into it, and actually outperformed what I thought I was going to do in Sheffield I then raced in Barcelona in late January, and then a week later in the Tallinn World Indoor Tour meet, where I PB’d again in the pentathlon and every event was pretty solid. I expected Tallinn to be the last Pentathlon indoors so after this I prepped for British Indoor Champs. I was super happy with my silver medal at British Champs, although a little frustrated with the time because I really wanted to break through into 8.1s. I was really happy to go to BUCS a week later and run an 8.17 and break the championship record Also at BUCS I threw a shot PB, 1416m, which solidified my throw of 1404m in Tallinn and definitely gave me confidence going into Glasgow

What was running through your mind when you got the callinvitingyoutoWorlds?

I knew selection was a possibility but at the same time I thought the likeliness I’d receive the invite would be really slim So, I wasn’t really expecting it, and when I got the call I was definitely in a bit of shock and just called my coach Ash and my parents straight away, I think they felt the same!

Areyouexcitedtobethe‘Underdog’?

I am! Mainly because it completely takes the pressure off and I can just go out and perform without too much expectation or eyes on me But at the same time, with this being a home champs there is definitely going to be a certain level of internal pressure to perform in front of a home crowd as being a British athlete is going to draw attention, so it will be a great learning opportunity too!

You posted a picture of yourself in 2017 when you won SIAB for the first time, now you are returning to the same track but for World champs - how does this full circle momentfeelandwhatwouldyousayto2017Abi?

It definitely feels a little surreal, but also nice because Glasgow is a track I’m familiar with having competed there a lot for SIAB, and travelling up for Scottish age-group championships as a kid. I think I’d probably tell 2017 Abi to just keep working hard because it will pay off eventually, and you just have to keep believing and investing in your training.

Everythinghappensforareasonso evenduringinjuryandperiodsof timewhereitfeelslikethingsaren’t improving,it’sjustteachingyou howtobecomeamoreresilientand hard-workingathleteandperson

Abionwhatshewouldtellher15year-oldself

Will you have your friends and family coming to watch sinceitisahomegames?

My parents are coming, even though tickets were a bit stressful to find because I didn’t really expect to be competing, we didn’t buy any before they sold out! But thankfully we managed to find some for them, as well as my Grandad and Auntie.

How is training with a group who has a lot of elite-level athletes, and of course being coached by Ash Bryant who went to Worlds himself when he was a decathlete? Do they motivateyou,inspireyou?

Yeah definitely I’m one of the youngest in my group and we all definitely push each other in training as our strengths all differ, so there’s always someone better than you in an event, and this keeps us working hard Training with Ash, and having Aston as my point of contact on the Futures programme, is definitely motivating as they both know what it takes to make it in this sport and for them to then be investing in me is exciting

The support for RPMF has helped massively over the years with things such as funding travel to competitions, buying numerous pairs of spikes I need for combined events, and coaching and competitions fees. Without this support the journey would have definitely been more difficult, and with additional pressures of moving to University and having to adapt to a much more independent lifestyle, the support from RPMF has been incredibly valuable

BACK IN 2017, ABI’S FIRST INTERNATIONAL TITLE, IN GLASGOW

European XC Championships

SUNDAY10THDECEMBER

LAEKENPARK BRUSSELS BELGIUM

In true cross country style, it was a cold and muddy day for Europes first cross country athletes as they stood one foot in front of another on the start line The British contingent were the most successful of all the teams there, accumulating a total of 11 medals (7 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze) Of these medals, all included an RPMF supported athlete whether it was an individual or team medal.

Setting GB off to a flying start was Innes FitzGerald who stole the race away from anyone else after the first hill It was her first European XC title and if that wasn’t enough, she found herself on the podium for a second time, but this time with her teammates as they clinched team gold too In this team was Katie Pye who is also supported by RPMF, she finished a very impressive 28th in a very tough field FitzGerald spoke to British Athletics and spoke about actually she dint expect to lead from the beginning so quickly but embraced it and used it to her advantage. She also expressed how happy she was with the win: ‘“I am really pleased and so happy to come away with the win, particularly as I wasn’t satisfied after last year I think I showed everyone what I had, and this is more than I could dream of ‘ (British Athletics)

It was deja-vu in the U23 women ’ s race as it was also dominated by a British athlete, Megan Keith She demonstrated utter domination finishing ahead of anyone else by a whole 83 seconds It was the largest winning margin in the history of European XC Championships.

In the men ’ s commensurate race, Will Barnicoat took the title, making it a GB domination in the U23 races Past RPMF recipient Matt Stonier finished an impressive 3rd to get his first international XC medal Also speaking to British Athletics, Barnicoat discussed how the race went much better than he had anticipated; “To be honest I didn’t know what to expect today, because I didn’t run that well in the trials The course suited me perfectly because I like the mud In the end it was a tight finish I just waited to attack in the last downhill and I was able to keep off the French athlete in the end.”

In the women ’ s U23 race, there were also stellar performance from RPMF athletes Eloise Walker and Alex Millard Well accustomed to international events, Millard finished a strong 11th whilst Walker finished 15th close-behind. Alongside Olivia Mason, Megan Keith, Lyn McKenna and Tia Wilson, the team found theirselves at the top of the team podium

Henry Dover was the top GB performer in the U20 race finishing 6th whilst in the men ’ s U23 team featuring RPMF athletes Will Barnicoat and Henry McLuckie also found themselves clinching gold.

Will Barnicoat - U23 Mens Champion

Innes FitzGerald - U20 Womens Champion

Megan Keith - U23 Women’s Champion

Athlete feature

Success Eduan - 2023 Indoor British Champion

In 2021, she boarded the plane to Tallinn to compete at her first major international as a junior in the 200 and part of the 4x100m team Tallinn became a stage for Eduan to pick up medals - not just in the relay where they were favourites to win, but Bronze in the 200m individual event too Then, in 2022, she finished top 10 at World juniors and in 2023, she was British Senior Indoor champion, at just 18! This was then followed up by a winning another bronze at the European juniors, this time in Jerusalem, Israel

Finally, fast forward a few months and we are at present day, she’s just won silver in the senior 200m and is very excited for what outdoors will bringmaybe she’ll continue her medal streak into the European u23 champs which are in Norway this year.

Success expressed to us her gratitude for our support, and how it has shaped her as the athlete she is today.

RPMF has allowed me to bet on myself, that truly I can do whatever I put my mind to because I have their support. Additionally, not only has RPMF helped me financially but also helped me to feel recognised and valued as my own person evolving into the athlete I strive to become. Throughout last season and into this indoor season, the support from the RPMF I have felt is something I will be forever grateful for.

Photo before edit: Geoff Lowe

INDOOR

Microplus UK Championships

As the Microplus UK Indoor Championships weekend unfolded, Birmingham became a stage for extraordinary performances, particularly for some of our RPMF supported athletes.

The 800m it was possibly the most exciting event of the championships, the depth of 800m running in Britain at the moment is rather spectacular. Issy Boffey finished second in 2:00.27 behind a very fast Jemma Reekie (past RPMF recipient) who finished in 1:58.24. Scottish athlete Erin Wallace finished third despite a brave front run. It was a bitter-sweet bronze for her as she explained in an instagram caption that from the moment it was announced that Glasgow would be hosting the 2024 World Indoor Championships, she had her ‘heart set on making the team’ especially because it was held at her home track. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough, a tough qualification for up and coming athletes which only saw 21 athletes make it - the lowest GB has ever taken for a home games.

Sakura

In the men’s 400m, Ben Higgins found himself picking up silver in a turbulent race. It was a seasons best for him and sets him up in good stead for the outdoor season. Hannah Kelly ran a phenomenal 52.61 in the semis which was just 9 hundredths off her PB. In the final, which saw twins (Laviai and Lina Neilson) win 1-2 for the first time ever at a British championships, she finished 4th but this was enough to secure her spot on the relay team for Worlds in just a couple weeks time. 2023 was a breakthrough year for Hannah, who has been constantly good since junior level, so it bares no surprise that she will be one to watch this season!

Abi Pawlett clinched silver in 60mH by a hair’s breadth in very tight final in a time of 8.24s. The solid performer that Abi is, this backs up her success as British indoor pentathlon champion last month. What is most exciting is she has been invited to her first world championships, read more about this story on page 1.

A degree from Cambridge and entire life-move to Italy later, Amy Hunt finally won her crown back after winning the 60m final in 7.24s. Speaking to British Athletics, she talked about how ecstatic she was to win the title but couldn’t help but be a little disappointed because she knew she had more and felt she hadn’t executed the race to her best. It means we have a lot more to see from her, particularly in the outdoor season. Her title came exactly 2 years after she torn her rectus femoris. A long road to recovery but she did it, and we couldn’t be happier for her. It makes us all the more excited for what is shaping up to be spectacular 2024 season.

In the 200m, 19-year old Success Eduan was the reigning champion but found herself in neck and neck in the 200m final with Ama Pipi, who just pipped her on the line. Eduan’s silver was won in a time of 23.41, just 2 tenths off her PB. Such a young talent who we know has so much more to give yet. Read how RPMF has helped her become the Success she is today on page 4.

Over in the in field, Lily Hulland jumped to her first title with 13.06 in the triple jump, in an exceptional competition which saw every athlete jumping a PB. Hulland, though, saved her best for last to take the title from Adelaide Omitowoju in the final round. Archie Yeo won the men’s equivalent title with an indoor PB of 15.55. Speaking to Loughborough Athletics he acknowledged having put together a solid indoor season and is excited for outdoor season where he can progress from his GB selections in 2023.

In a mesmerising performance, past recipient Molly Caudrey, was the star of the weekend soaring over a massive height of 4.85m in the Pole Vault. Not only was this her second PB of the season but it has put her back on top of the world rankings. Speaking to British Athletics she talked about how now has her sights set on world champs, and maybe even a medal. The latter of which is entirely within her capabilities - it will be an exciting watch. Also in the Pole Vault was Sophie Ashurst who jumped a long-timecoming PB of 4.22m in France. Unfortunately, Birmingham didn’t quite have the same effect and she settled for 6th with 4.11m. Indeed, her 4.22m so early on in the year is very promising for the outdoor season that is to come.

2024 GRANTS

209 grants awarded....

£40,050 given out to help support the next generation of British Athletes

Grant Recipients 2024

Asweannounceour2024RPMFGrantrecipients,wealsoextendourdeepestgratitudetoour‘Ronners’whoseexceptional fundraisingeffortsduringtheLondon2023Marathonhavemadeitpossibleforustoawardthesegrants Additionally,we acknowledgeandappreciatetheinvaluablecontributionsoftheselectioncommitteeandboardoftrusteesatRPMFfortheir devotedtimeconsiderandlookthroughall498applications

Sam Bennett

Lucy Fellows

Bradley Giblin

Conan Harper

Georgina Adam

Oluwamayomikun

Matthew Agnimel

Kelechi Aguocha

Emmanuel Agyare

Cleo Agyepong

Mabel Akande

Daniel Akinradewo

Michael Allison

Annabel Amadin

Leonie Ashmeade

Sophie Ashurst

Timi Babatunde

Jess Bailey

Omar Bajo

Luke Ball

Will Barnicoat

Sofia Barrett

Alice Bates

Alexander Beck

Corey Beechall

Tyler Bilyard

Daniella Bleach

Jenna Blundell

Isabelle Boffey

Ellie Booker

Bryony Bovell

Ewan Bradley

Orla Brennan

Thomas Bridger

Sarah Calvert

Corey Campbell

Lawson Capes

Charlie Carvell

Eddie Cassidy

Joe Chadwick

Alastair Chalmers

Toby Cherry

Stan Chevous

Henry Christer

Joel Clarke-Khan

Alex Cooper

Trey Corlis

Regan Corrin

Alice Coshell

Alex Thomson

Brandon Ballard

Erin Barry

Melissa Coxon

Brook Cronin

James Dargan

Justin Davies

William Dean-Gallagher

Luke Pichler

Seamus Derbyshire

Freya Dockerty

Callum Dodds

Steph Driscoll

Jessica Duncton

Divine Duruaku

Success Eduan

Charlie Elford-Pond

Dadagbon-Daniel Emegbor

Louise Evans

Charlie Evans

Nubia Evans-Shields

Josh Faulds

Ed Faulds

Halle Ferguson

Joe Ferguson

Amelia Fettis

Georgina Forde-Wells

Ava Freeman

Izzy Fry

Teddy Gannon

Gabrielle Garber

Ethan Glyde

Alice Goodall

Zoe Gregory

Evan Grime

Demari Gumbs

Sophie Hamilton

Noah Hanson

James Hanson

Clemmie Harris

Megan Harris

Natasha Harrison

Paul Harrison

Sonny Hatch

Katie Head

Ruben Hedman

Matilda Hewitt

Ben Higgins

Imogen Hill

Emma Holmes

Kira Holt

Abby Hughes

Bebe jackson

James Ledger

Esme O'Connell

Lily Hulland

Amy Hunt

Ethan Hussey

Tehillah Ikechukwu-Okonkwo

Efosa Imatitikua-Davidson

Brooke Ironside

Abigail Ives

Marli Jessop

Ayesha Jones

Steph Jones

Ben Jones

Thomas Keen

Megan Keith

Hannah Kelly

Charlotte Kelsey

James Kingston

Jack Kinrade

Keira Lake-Bryan

Jessica Lark

Wyatt larkins

Brandon Lee

Sophie Lisk

Ava Lloyd

Sam lunt

Nicolas Maczugowski

Caitlin McCloy

Mia McIntosh

Lynn McKenna

Henry Mcluckie

Owen Merrett

Phoebe Milburn

Alexandra Millard

Holly Mills

Luca Minale

Jake Minshull

Savannah Morgan

David Morgan-Harrison

Lily Murphy

Reuben Nairne

Corey Nealon-Richards

Ashley Nemits

Emily Newnham

Jake Norris

Chisom Nwafor

Tendai Nyabadza

Emilie Oakden

Zara Obamakinwa

Stephanie Okoro

Chukwuemeka Osammor

Joel Mattacks

India Oates

Oscar Oweka

Oliver Parker

Dean Patterson

Abigail Pawlett

Dafydd Pawlett

Cassie-Ann Pemberton

Natasha Phillips

Meghan Porterfield

Joseph Purbrick

Katie Pye

David Race

Victor Redman

Harry Ricketts

Fergus Ross

Tom Rutter

Imogen Saunders

Oscar Schofield

George Seery

Sebastian Simpson

Jodie Smith

Daisy Snell

Jade Spencer-Smith

Callum Taylor

Joshua Taylor

Lachlan Thomas

Rusciano Thomas-Riley

Fleur Todd-Warmoth

Taia Tunstall

Isabella Turner

Leah Wagstaff

Eloise Walker

Erin Wallace

Tom Waterworth

Tom Webb

Lizzie Wellsted

Harriet Wheeler

Holly Whittaker

Louis Whyte

Thomas Wilcock

Angus Wilkinson

Louis Wilson

Arabella Wilson

Eve Wright

Samuel Wright

Archie Yeo

Rebecca O'Rourke

Rebecca Scott

Samuel Segun

Amy Thompson

Anya Waugh

Fabio Zamparelli

Illias Zghoundi

RAISING THE BAR: GARBER’S LOOKING TO FLY HIGH!

RPMF and England Athletics have had the pleasure of having a quick get-to-know conversation with up and coming high jumper Gabrielle Garber Backed by the ‘incredible’ support of these organisations, Garber opens up about her thrilling 2023 season, the journey to securing a coveted spot in the European U20 Championships, and the roots of her strong passion for the sport including the importance of the support she has received from RPMF and England Athletics Junior Talent Programme.

FROM A SCHOOL SPORTS DAY TRIUMPH TO INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS

Having started athletics when she was twelve after a successful school sports day, Gabrielle Gerber has never looked back. The Leeds City athlete came from a sporting family and when it comes to her passion and discipline for athletics, it is down to the morals and perspectives of her father that planted her seeds for success Garber tells us how her father, having been an ex-professional boxer, ‘is aware of and instils the work ethic that you have to put into yourself, both inside and outside of training to get to where you want to be He has shown me how to be disciplined and supported all I do – his passion for the sport and lifestyle in tandem is what motivates me ’

Garber broke onto the international scene this year, earning two GB vests. As outdoors fast approached, she found herself being on the receiving end of an email from British athletics inviting her to compete for the GB U20 team for the Loughborough International after a successful indoor season As they say, start as you mean to go on! As the warm summer days approached, she her focus turned towards the European U20 championships, however, it wasn’t all smooth sailing as she explained:

“The further we got into the season my jumping wasn’t fully going to plan and I started to think that maybe Euros was not for me this year. I started to accept the fact that whatever happens is meant to be and is all part of the journey.”

It was British Championships that followed this change in mindset and by trusting the process, letting herself relax and relinquishing any pressure she thought there was, she sailed over 1.81m. This PB not only snagged her her first British Senior medal but also but her first major international qualifying standard – European U20 championships in Jerusalem The selection for the European U20 Championships was a milestone she manifested from the start of 2023:

‘From the beginning of the year one of my main goals was to qualify for the u20 European Championships, it was always on my mind.’

THERE IS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE WHEN IT COMES TO SUCCESS

Garber is supported by the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund as well as being on the England Athletics Junior Talent programme Garber tell us that the support from RPMF has been a huge help:

‘Not only has to be beneficial to supporting my training and travel fees, it also gives young athletes like myself hope and motivation as it shows us people are out there believing in and willing to and help athletes on their journey’

Meanwhile, the England Athletics talent programme aims to increase the number of talented athletes who have the skills, competencies, knowledge, and resilience to progress to World Class Programmes, succeed at Senior Championships through workshops and training days with elite coaches and support teams.

‘I have enjoyed the technical sessions of the JTP. The input from different people and elite coaches is extremely helpful I also love how all the athletics community comes together, it’s nice to see everyone outside competitions - there is a family feeling to it JTP has had a positive impact on my performance, they gave me very valuable advice for the mental and technical aspects of my performance’

Looking forward to 2024, she is looking forward to British Championships but most importantly wants to ‘keep jumping high, loving all that I am and what I do’

We are excited to see what this new High Jump prospect can do next season and it is our privilege to be able to support such a talented athlete

Photo by Patrick Anthonisz

Remembering Shaun

1961 - 2023

As we look to 2024, it gives us a moment to reflect on 2023 Whilst we saw so plethora of incredible performance from our RPMF Family, we also lost our dear Shaun Pickering of whom the success of this charity would not be what it is today Shaun set up this fund alongside his mother, Jean, in memory of his father Ron Pickering and to continue his remarkable legacy Shaun was a giant of a man, and not just in stature; his passion and fidelity for athletics was rarely matched. From playing an inimitable role in the development of young British athletes through his devotion of time to RPMF, being a pivotal member in the realm of UK Athletics and to coaching and mentoring top athletes in his own spare time. As a talented shot-putter himself, he competed for Team GB in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and won bronze in the 1998 Commonwealth games in Kuala Lumpur. The impact he had on British athletes and athletics was second to none.

Photo by Mark Shearman