Athletics returns to Much Wenlock games following £164,000 works to running track
Track and field events at the Much Wenlock Olympian Games were cancelled last year.
Track and field events are to return to the Shropshire event that was the inspiration for the modern Olympic games.
The Much Wenlock Olympian Games was started by Dr William Penny Brookes in 1850.
The games were visited by Baron Pierre de Coubertin who then founded the modern Olympic Games - with the first held in Athens in 1896.
However, last year, track and field events at the Much Wenlock Olympian Games had to be cancelled after the six-lane track at William Brookes School, used for the event, lost its UK Athletics accreditation.
A £164,000 investment by the 3-18 Education Trust, which oversees the school, earlier this year, was set to bring the track back up to standard, and it was hoped it was going to be ready for this year’s games.
Following the news in February, Helen Clare Cromarty, chair of Wenlock Olympian Society, said: “Wenlock Olympian Society thanks The 3-18 Education Trust and William Brookes School for bringing about this most welcome result.
"With UK Athletics TrackMark certification, we hope to see athletics return to the 2026 Wenlock Olympian Games, and Wenlock Olympians Athletics Club back to training on a top-class track. We will continue fundraising for new discus facilities and to support the next phase of the project.”
Work began on the track in May and has been progressing over the last few weeks and is set to be complete by the time the games return.
The Wenlock Olympian Society announced on Tuesday that the “track was back” in time for the 140th Much Wenlock Olympian Games.
The games take place on July 12 with a full track and field schedule on the new running track along with a new discus facilities.
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