We need to get on track for future athletes

16 August 2012

Your articles in the Telegraph 'Keep the sporting flame burning' and the comments by head of sport at University of Ulster Dr Nigel Dobson will only happen, it seems to me, in the realm of boxing and GAA.

Since the era of Dame Mary Peters have we produced any potential Olympic champions in track and field? We have no international standard pole vaulters or any other field eventers for that matter.

The Republic has two permanent indoor athletics arenas, Scotland has Kelvin Hall and England have Lee Valley and Birmingham. Ulster has the rarely open Odyssey, and partial facilities at Jordanstown and Magherafelt.

We badly need a full 200m indoor track and all field event facilities. It was mooted for Antrim some years back but then shelved.

With our inclement weather if you want to see future Olympians and Paralympians in the great sport of track and field athletics we must have this facility.

Dr Julian Kennedy

Ballymena and Antrim Athletic club

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