MANSFIELD HARRIERS: athletics club riding the crest of a wave

However, one club doing all it can to promote a positive image for athletics sits right here in the heart of Chad country.

Mansfield Harriers have been up and running (literally) since 1920. But rarely have they ridden such a crest of a wave, particularly at junior level.

About half of the club’s 200 members are now juniors, underlining the friendly, safe and enjoyable environment Harriers provide. But the success they celebrated in 2015 was unprecedented.

Seven track-and-field athletes made it through to the English Schools Championships, with four making their respective finals.

Three youngsters were England AAA Championships finalists, two won national medals and four won Midlands medals.

At representative level, one Harrier gained his England vest, one gained her Midland vest and there were numerous places and titles landed at county level.

At team level, the U17 boys were crowned Midland cross-country champions, while the ladies’ team finished third. And the club’s U13 girls were named team of the year at the Mansfield Sports Recognition Awards.

Headline stuff for a club, who have so many athletes coming through and plying their trade on the big stage, whether that be in track and field, road running, cross country or fell running.

Based at three venues -- Ashfield School, West Notts College and Samworth Church Academy -- Harriers are driven by enthusiastic volunteers who are trained, expert coaches for all genres of the sport. And their junior academy, in which youngsters receive specialised training and assessment, is renowned and respected throughout the Midlands. The coaches do their best to monitor the progress of athletes as they move up the age groups, and parents are encouraged to become involved too.

It’s a success story well worth shouting about, and a robust rebuttal of critics who reckon the London 2012 Olympics failed to leave a lasting legacy. At Mansfield Harriers, the legacy has only just begun.