Forum Topic

Why is nobody from Shepherds Bush in the Olympics?

I have not yet heard of anybody from this area being a participant in the Olympics. This surprises me as we have lots of sports clubs and sports participation and we hosted the Olympics once upon a time. Where are all our athletes - I understand why there are no rowers or show jumpers from this neighbourhood but other sports there should be. A country like Trinidad does have a much bigger population yet sends a whole team to the games. Is it because we have too many fast food shops?

David Appiah ● 4644d7 Comments

The problem  is that when we won the Olympics for London eight years ago there was funding for elite athletes whose stars might or not still be shining by 2012 but little for grass roots athletics and other sports. Clubs like Thames Valley Harriers need support to pay for coaches and match day officials - but do they get it? It does not help when a local council is cutting back to preserve a council tax at a constant level which in ral terms meas a shrinking income.  The sad fact is you et at you pay for and the wealthier residents from the southern end of the borough voted in a council that put a council tax falling in real ters ahead of supporting an athletics club based in Shepherds Bush. You get what you pay - and vote - for.

Daniel Antony Filson ● 4585d

Possibly it could be that sprint track events became less popular after high profile drug particularly Dwain Chambers and distance track events became less popular after becoming so dominated by East African countries. With great role models like Mo Farah and Usain Bolt they could be about to enjoy a renaissance.

Andy Jones ● 4600d

I was looking at the Thames Valley Harriers web site today with a view to getting one of my kids involved in athletics. They are based at the Linford Christie Stadium which I hadn't realised until recently. It was quite interesting to look at the club records - very few have been broken in recent years and some go back to the nineties which is surprising given that on a world and national basis very few records stand that are over 5 years old. The only athelete that the club sent to the Olympics represented Malawi. I'm not meaning to be critical of the club - but I do think that this suggests that enthusiasm and funding for athletics has actually declined over the last couple of decades and we are papering over the cracks by generous funding to a small band of elite athletes.

Paul Corcoran ● 4603d

Thank you for all the replies. It is a disappointing outcome in my view. Countries with a smaller population than this area are sending teams to the Olympics.I don't like to reinforce racial stereotypes but there is no denying that Afro Caribbeans dominate athletics events at the games. We have lots of young people in this borough who could excel yet I never see the Linford Christie stadium in use and I doubt local kids every receive much proper coaching. My belief is that sports that are more likely to win medals like rowing and dressage get all the funding when sports that are genuinely competitive because there is no barrier to any one in the world taking part due to the need for expensive equipment don't get any money.

David Appiah ● 4628d

Unfortunately local decathlete Daniel Awde was forced out by injury earlier this week.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_AwdeHowever Scott Overall of Hammersmith will be running the marathon - so cheer him on!

Mike Wendling ● 4641d

Usually there is a local boxer in the Olympic squad - James Degale was born locally and won gold last time out. I think local youth is more into football generally because there are lots of professional footballers who grew up in this area - D.J. Campbell for instance. So it isn't down to lack of sporting activity.

Andy Jones ● 4643d

Are there a lot of sports clubs in Shepherds Bush?  West London maybe.  I know we have the Linford Christie Stadium on Wormwood Scrubs but that is not a sports club in its own right, is it? And I don't think it is anything to do with fast food shops......if you have the determination and dedication which our athletes obviously have they will avoid such places.

Carol Burge ● 4643d