| In Sheffield, Don
Valley Stadium [map] is the home of athletics, where local
talent is nurtured and where top class athletes from around
the world have competed.
Built as part of the city’s bid to host the 1991
World Student Games, the stadium cost £29
million to build and is fully equipped with Olympic
standard track and field facilities. These facilities
include an all-weather outdoor track and an indoor track,
indoor and outdoor facilities for high jump, throws and
pole vault, as well as a fully equipped gymnasium.
Don Valley Stadium has hosted several notable athletics
events including the World Student Games, International
Athletics Invitational events, British International
Athletics Grand Prix, AAA's Championships and
many other important events in the athletics calendar.
However the stadium is also home to local club, City
of Sheffield Athletic Club, who have had roots in
the city since 1849. Although they started out as a walking
and cross country running club, they have now embraced
all the track and field disciplines and can offer athletes
of all ages the chance to develop their abilities.
In the past, City of Sheffield Club athletes have had success at the Olympic games, the European Cross
Country Championships and the Paralympic Games in Sydney.
Currently the team consists of athletes of all ages and
they are always happy to welcome new athletes into the
team.
Don Valley Stadium is also the training ground for University
of Sheffield athletes on a Monday evening. The club
coach is former long jumper Martin Jones, and a few athletes
at this club have managed to achieve top placing in UK
competitions.
Sheffield Hallam also has its own athletics club,
which mainly caters for cross-country and road runners.
And if you enjoy running but are not a student then you
could join Totley AC. The club, which trains on
Tuesdays and Thursdays, has over 100 members who
compete in events ranging from five-mile road races to
two-day mountain marathons.
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