We first announced our partnership with UKA in 2004, when we became the title Sponsor of the SPAR Sprints Programme. The association with athletics was not a new one for SPAR, as we have been investing in European Athletics since 1996 through our Principle Sponsorship of European Athletics. We demonstrated a further commitment to the sport in January 2009, when UKA announced that the partnership had been extended until 2013.
Our association represents a significant investment into sprinting in the UK, and when entering into the partnership, UKA had clear objectives of developing and maintaining a strong and supportive infrastructure that would increase participation at all levels, improving the skills and standards of athletes and coaches, and to deliver a long term strategy that would ensure the UK maintained its status as a world class sprint nation.
Niels De Vos, UKA Chief Executive, recently had this to say: "There is no doubt that the SPAR Sprints Programme has made a significant impact to the sport, at all levels, from activities at schools throughout the country through to Masterclasses with some of the most highly-acclaimed coaches in the world. Moving forward, the commercial investment secures another part of the commercial legacy for the sport offering our youngsters a great chance to make world class podiums beyond 2012."
Since 2004, SPAR has run a number of high profile activities to support UKA and ensure that these objectives are delivered.
Masterclasses
To support UKA's objective of increasing the participation of sprinting
Over the past 6 years, nearly 30 Masterclasses have taken place at schools throughout the country, whereby an Aviva GB & NI Team Athlete would attend a school who had won the prize through an instore competition. The athletes, such as Mark Lewis Francis, Andy Turner, Craig Pickering and Allan Scott took the pupils through a training session and talked about their experiences both in training and during major competitions. On all occasions the Masterclasses inspired the participants to give athletics a go.
Alex Nelson, on holding a Masterclass in July, 2009 said “I enjoy giving out advice and I know from my experiences that every little bit of encouragement helps. Athletes in our position have to help attract as many kids as possible to the sport. If this can encourage even one young athlete to join their local club then it’s been a huge success.”
SPAR Stars
To help UKA identify and support talented performers and create the best environment to ensure they reach their full potential
Since 2005, UKA have highlighted up to 24 athletes per year via the sprints coaches in each regional sprint centre who they believe to show strong potential. In the past these athletes have included Chris Clarke, winner of the European U20 400m title in 2009 and World U18 champ in 2007, Annabelle Lewis Gold in European U23 4x100m 2009, and Martyn Rooney, World Silver Medalist 4x400 relay 2009.
These SPAR stars have been given support & recognition through the SPAR partnership in the form of coaching support, sports wear, and through the staging of the SPAR Sprints Series- races that have been held at a UKA major event, giving the young hopefuls a change to experience competition at a major level.
One athlete each year has also been given the SPAR Outstanding Achievement Award, whereby they have received a grant and a VIP trip courtesy of SPAR. In 2009 this was awarded to Annie Tagoe in recognition of her exceptional performance in 2009 having only taken part in her first competitive race in 2008.
Coaching & Training
To help UKA strengthen the sprinting infrastructure through the training and development of coaches and a network of SPAR Sprints and Hurdles centres
Since 2005 a number of national and local training and development initiatives have taken place in the UK. These include high profile events such as SPAR Sprints Initiative Masterclass led by highly-acclaimed US Coach Brooks Johnson and Sprints Conferences attended by speakers including John Anderson, Michael Afilaka, Colin Bovell, Clarence Callender, Lloyd Cowan, Nick Dakin, Tony Hadley, John Isaacs, Mike McFarlane, Ron Roddan, Mike Smith and Jim Spooner who between them have coached some of the country’s finest athletes to World and Olympic medals.
Furthermore each Home Country Athletics Federation have delivered a full programme of activity at National Level with 3 National Coach Development Programme weekends running in performance centres through the winter, with each region running a full winter's programme of coach development/squad activity.
UK Sprinting
To support all local, regional and national teams strengthening the profile of UK sprinting on the world stage
Sprinting is now British Athletics’ most successful event group and this has been amply demonstrated in the last five years with frequent successes in age championships both at European and World level. The outstanding athletes of the period have been Harry Aikines Aryeetey, winner of three world and one European titles and Jodie Williams (SPAR Star in 2008) the reigning world youth champion at both 100m and 200m. Other athletes to have won age group titles since 2005 are Craig Pickering (European 100m), Alex Nelson (European 200m), Hayley Jones (European 200m),Chris Clarke (World U18 and European U20) (SPAR Star in 2005) Lawrence Clarke (European 110m Hurdles) and Asha Philip (world youth)… And they are just the cream of a very strong crop with the female sprints being particularly outstanding, providing the world’s best over 100m at age 14,16 and 17 in 2008.
Success hasn’t only been confined to the juniors.. In the 2007 world championships there was the epic 1-2 of Christine Ohuruogu and Nicola Sanders over 400m and in 2008 both Jeanette Kwakye and Dwain Chambers won world indoor silver medals over 60m. Additionally Britain continues to underline its depth of talent with six relay medals in the last five years at the world championships.