Tsk tsk Owen. Her official title is The GREAT Kathy Cook. Otherwise, well done. 👍
Great Britain’s original sprint queen 👑
Kathy Cook 🇬🇧 was one of the most versatile athletes during a controversial era in athletics.
Her breakthrough came in 1977, where she won three bronze medals at the European Junior Championships in Donetsk.
Over the following years, she began to assert her dominance as one of the leading sprinters globally, making the 100m + 200m finals at the Moscow Olympics and achieving a 200m bronze medal at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki.
Cook’s greatest season was in 1984, setting British records across the 200m (22.10s), 300m (35.46s), and 400m (49.43s) and winning a bronze medal over the one-lap distance at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The women’s sprint relay also tasted numerous successes, with Kathy being part of the bronze medal 4x100m teams at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, silver at the 1983 World Championships, three consecutive gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, and two silver medals at the European Championships.
Her career came at a time when state-sponsored doping was rife, particularly in Eastern Bloc countries such as East Germany and the Soviet Union. Speaking to the BBC in 2013, Kathy said, “People that I had beaten 18 months (or) two years ago suddenly I just couldn’t beat, and I used to think they looked different, and you start to think that doesn’t look right.” 🎤
Injuries hampered her performances after the 1984 season, which contributed to her eventual retirement in 1987.
While Kathy Cook retired without ever winning an individual gold medal at a major championship, she won the hearts of millions through her integrity and dedication.
📸 Steve Hale
Ian Sharpes retweeted
Our new training group has now met for the first time. You can find out who they are and how they or on in this new YouTube video. Hope you enjoy it.
youtu.be/XE16gB5svAI
Please feel free to subscribe.
Ian Sharpes retweeted
We’ve been blown away by the response to my interview with @BBCSport & @KatieFalkingham , thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to read and engage with it ❤️ millions of views across multiple platforms really is immense.
We have since written to @andyburnham , calling on the @UKLabour government to fund research into this horrific illness. I know there’s so much more we could say, but with limited capacity, we’ve tried to focus on the lack of funding, resources in the NHS and how much it’s actually costing the government.
As you can see on the slides, it has been drastically underfunded compared to other illnesses and it is currently costing the UK Government far more than it would cost to fund research. ME is most often a post-viral illness. Therefore, since the start of the Covid pandemic, we’ve seen cases increase drastically and they will continue to increase. We need funding into research urgently. With estimates of people with ME being around 1.35 million, this is a lot of lives destroyed.
I’ve had thousands of messages on multiple platforms since sharing my story so please bear with me ❤️
Thanks to @ThereForME_UK and @wecrunchme for the stats.
And the crowd went and got some smoky bacon crisps from the vending machine.
The first World Treadmill Championship, involving athletes, amateurs, and beginners will start on 23 October in 400 fitness centres across 20 countries
Fitness centres worldwide will host this groundbreaking indoor running competition, created through a landmark partnership between @Technogym and World Athletics.
Official press release 🔗 bit.ly/4idcFwC
Ian Sharpes retweeted
3️⃣:5️⃣2️⃣:0️⃣1️⃣ was the finish time for @BethDobbin's sister at today's Yorkshire Marathon, £1️⃣4️⃣.2️⃣k has been raised so far for @MEResearchUK
If you would like to make a donation (every penny helps) to add to that total, please visit: justgiving.com/page/faye-dob…
Thank you 🙏🏻
Today it's Yorkshire Marathon, @BethDobbin's sister will run it alongside her partner & friends to raise funds for @MEResearchUK & awareness of the illness.
🔗 to JustGiving: justgiving.com/page/faye-dob…
🔗 to Beth's interview with BBC: bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/ar…
Please donate/share🙏🏻
Ian Sharpes retweeted
Today it's Yorkshire Marathon, @BethDobbin's sister will run it alongside her partner & friends to raise funds for @MEResearchUK & awareness of the illness.
🔗 to JustGiving: justgiving.com/page/faye-dob…
🔗 to Beth's interview with BBC: bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/ar…
Please donate/share🙏🏻
Hi athleticos, long time no see! A brief return here with a PSA for the athletics community.
@BethDobbin's sister is running the Yorkshire Marathon for @MEResearchUK.
We supported Beth on the track, please do so off it by donating and/or sharing. ThankU
justgiving.com/page/faye-dob…
Ian Sharpes retweeted
Beth Dobbin has revealed she now spends more than 22 hours a day in bed as she battles myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).
The 32-year-old, who represented Great Britain at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, told BBC Sport that she wanted to raise awareness of the condition even though the interview itself could set her back for months.
ME is a chronic, fluctuating disease that causes symptoms including sleep problems, pain, difficulties with thinking and memory.
Even everyday activities, such as having a conversation or being exposed to bright lights or loud noises, can trigger a “crash”, with symptoms lasting anywhere from 24 hours to several months.
There is currently no known cure for ME and no specific treatment.
Read more 👉 athleticsweekly.com/news/bet…
If you can, please donate in support of Beth Dobbin. She's a lovely person and has given us a lot of happy moments as an athlete.
Replying to @_OwenM_
What an amazing woman! I got to say hello once in the company of Christian Malcolm which pretty much made my month. Paula was lovely and Christian was confused, which is a pretty common occurrence when people meet me for the first time. 😆
Join us for a screening of ‘Breaking Barriers’ this #BlackHistoryMonth 🎥
From competing on the world stage to becoming the first female Head Coach of British Athletics, Paula Dunn’s story is one of family, determination, and leadership 🫡
Event details: bit.ly/4yLS61f
Ian Sharpes retweeted
Today is World Mental Health Day 🧠
Hear from @seamusderbs on how finding his confidence has opened up a whole new world to him.
#worldmentalhealthday #mentalhealth #athletics #englandathletics #realvoices
Ian Sharpes retweeted
Different voices, shared challenges: mental health in athletics 💚
Athletes open up about mental health issues: “It’s very important to speak about it” 👉 bit.ly/4yS0YCH
#WorldMentalHealthDay
Normally I'd say vote Josh or Alison but you really can't get past Sebastian this year.
Nominees for World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year Award:
🇱🇰 Rumesh Pathirage – Javelin
🇰🇪 Sabastian Sawe – Marathon
🇺🇸 Ja'Kobe Tharp – 110mH
🇺🇸 Kenny Bednarek – 100m/200m
🇧🇼 Collen Kebinatshipi – 400m
🇸🇪 Mondo Duplantis – Pole Vault
🇸🇮 Kristjan Čeh – Discus Throw
🇧🇷 Alison dos Santos – 400mH
🇮🇹 Andy Díaz Hernández – Triple Jump
🇬🇧 Josh Kerr – 1500m/Mile
Who is your winner?
Thanks AW. Several athletes are going to have to get close to or break the UK record if they want to get their wontons on in Beijing next year.
I could tweet eloquently and poignantly about the state of the world but given that's a manure fire on a dairy farm, I'd rather quote dick jokes.
When you read the replies to that story about the footballer and you realise they don't believe men either.
Ian Sharpes retweeted
🚨NEW POD!!🚨
The athletics season isn’t officially over until we’ve wrapped it up! 🤩
Hear our thoughts on the Ultimate Champs, including from Dave, our man on the ground in Budapest.
Plus, Athlos chat & World Road Champs round up!
open.spotify.com/episode/2Rm…
Ian Sharpes retweeted
Which 3rd wave running brand is going to bring back singlets with plunging neckline and spaghetti straps?
































