Going the extra mile: track athletes on the rise

After our recent article on Neuff’s throwing athletes, it’s time to shine a light on their inspiring track team…

When many people think of athletics, it’s often sprint events that first come to mind. However, some outsiders may not fully recognise how tirelessly track athletes work year-round to reach the results they dream of.

Back in the 50s and 60s, Dr Alan Neuff started his athletics life as a sprinter (he even competed against Roger Bannister!), and by the 1980s, he was supplying starting blocks to sprint icons such as John Regis and his 4x100m teammates. The support the Neuff family has provided to the track community through ground-breaking products and unrivalled support in training has been ongoing ever since.

Fast forward to 2023, and their team now includes up-and-coming track athletes in the form of ambassadors and bloggers. In addition to the sprint distances, they compete in middle-distance, long-distance, cross country and even multi-event competitions, such as pentathlons and heptathlons.

So, who are these athletes, and how are they changing the game of track?

Getting started as a sprint sensation

Some athletes show a natural flair for track early on in life, putting them in good stead for what’s to come in their junior and senior years. Robbie Dale is a prime example of this.

“I joined my local athletics club when I was eight years old. I loved running at school and would win my races easily,” he says.

Now in the U17 category, Robbie is a young, ambitious go-getter who competes across multiple events. However, it’s clear to most who know Robbie that sprint events are where his heart truly lies.

“I like being focused on one event. When I started running the 300m, I spent less and less time on shorter sprints and now even more so as I’m running 400m as my main event,” adds Robbie. “I really enjoy competing in multi-events with my teammates, but ultimately, I think individual events are where I will stay focused long-term.”

He has already claimed a decent number of medals as a track athlete while continuously setting new PBs and being named county champion for Warwickshire and the Midlands in 2022. It’s all the more impressive when you remember that he is still in school, balancing his true passion with his grades.

“I do my school work before or after training. I’m doing GCSE PE, which I’m really enjoying, and I’ve done the Duke of Edinburgh bronze, which has now led me to do silver. I’ve also been a…