News / running
Community unites for day long event to save athletics track
Nearly 50 people participated in a series of runs and sprints on Monday, as part of their efforts to restore an athletics track in south Bristol.
People of different ages arrived at the Whitchurch Athletics Track, which was hired for a day of sprinting, agility, middle-distance running and other events, as part of the Track is Back event.
The event is part of the community’s efforts to highlight the track’s importance in promoting community wellbeing.
is needed now More than ever
A major highlight of the event was Cops and Robbers, where participants competed in a 100 metre race against a police officer.
John Pearce, who has been at the forefront of the campaign to restore the track, saw the event as a small foundation for their “long-term vision”.
In a post on the track’s Facebook group, he said: “This is a small event to get things started but our long-term vision is to get more things happening.
“It’s an amazing resource that can provide huge benefits.”
The track that opened in 1973 has remained empty for several years, with a petition to breathe life back into the track launched in June 2024.
As of Tuesday, the petition had more than 6,000 signatures, with many signatories sharing their personal memories of training and running at the track.
The event on Monday also saw a guest appearance from former Bristol olympian, Vernon Samuels, who shared his memories of training at the track and spoke about the far-reaching benefits athletics can have.
Pearce saw the success of the event as a way of highlighting the track’s importance in the community.
Main photo: John Pearce
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