The following is a list (in alphabetical order) of some of the top GB and overseas athletes who have used this meeting as a 'stepping stone' to greater success either at the start of their career or as part of their competitive programme for that year. Their achievements include Olympic & Paralympic gold, silver & bronze medallists, European gold, silver & bronze medallists, European relay medallists, Commonwealth gold, silver and bronze individual and relay medallists and a host of World, European under 20, under 23 gold, silver and bronze medallists.
In addition to this, the meeting has seen two Commonwealth records (women's hammer & women's pole vault) and three British records (all in the women's pole vault) set over the last 15 years, as well as a significant number of major championship qualifying performances and British bests for the year. 2004 saw the men’s Relay Gold Medallists from Athens secure a qualification mark that allowed them to go and in 2010 we saw a very close attempt on the World Discus Record by Gert Kanter (Estonia).
We are also very pleassed to report that in London 2012 BIG athletes came away with 17 Medals. The Olympic athletes were Jessica Ennis (Heptahlon GOLD), Christine Ohurougu (400m SILVER) Robbie Grabarz (High Jump BRONZE), and the Paralympic athletes David Weir (T54 800m & 1500m GOLD), Johnny Peacock (T 100m GOLD) and other Silver & Bronze medallists too numerous to list here. In addition we have had great represenation in the Winter Olympics 2014 with Craig Pickering, Joel Fearon, Andy Matthews, Dave Coleman & Lizzie Yarnold (Skeleton GOLD medal winner).
2014 saw the 20th Anniversary of BIG and with the support of England Athletics we provided two days of competition opportunities for those looking for Glasgow Commonwealth Games qualification marks. What followed was a highly successful weekend in the most glorious sunny and almost totally wind–free (yes honestly at Bedford!!) weather.
In 2016 BIG became BIGish Jumps and Throws Fest as we moved into helping develop Field Events in the UK. With over 160 entries in 2016, almost 200 in 2017 and 218 in 2018 this is obviously the right way to go. Co-operation between ourselves and the Throws and Jumps Coordinators for EA has meant that we have targeted the athletes who need the competition - from grass roots to Elite. And many of those competing earlier in the day have stayed to watch some very high quality events later in the afternoon. This move into specialisation has proved to be a success and we will look to develop it further in the coming years.
Men
Larry Achike
Francis Agyepong
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey
Femi Akinsanya
Chris Baillie
Chris Baker
Jamie Baulch
Tim Benjamin
Jonathon Broom-Edwards (Paralympian)
Nick Buckfield
Darren Campbell
Dean Cappobianco (AUS)
Ben Challenger
Allyn Condon
Danny Crates (Paralympian)
Marlon Devonish
Matt Douglas
Nathan Douglas
James Ellington
Neil Fachie (Paralympian)
Marco Fassinotti (ITALY)
Tom Gale
Jason Gardener
Gable Garenamotse (BOT)
Adam Gemili
Julian Golding
Julian Golley
Robbie Grabarz
Paul Gray
Dalton Grant
Damien Greaves
Dan Greaves (Paralympian)
Shane Hair (AUS)
Mick Hill
David Holding (Paralympian)
Kevin Hughes
Phillips Idowu
Mick Jones
Ian Jones (Paralympian)
Gert Kanter (ESTONIA)
Du'aine Ladejo
Steve Lewis
Mark Lewis-Francis
Mervyn Luckwell
Ian Mackie
Christian Malcolm
Mark Mandy (IRE)
Gerhard Mayer (AUSTRIA)
Ato Modibo (TRI)
Jonathan Moore
Nick Nieland
Samson Oni
David Parker
Geoff Parsons
Tom Parsons
Adrian Patrick
Johnny Peacock (Paralympian)
Craig Pickering
John Regis
Darren Ritchie
Ben Rushgrove (Paralympian)
Greg Rutherford
Danny Talbot
Chris Tomlinson
Andy Turner
Emeka Udechuku
Kenny van Weeglen (Paralympian)
Doug Walker
Solomon Wariso
David Weir (Paralympian)
Rabah Yusif (SUD)
Women
Jacqui Agyepong
Diane Allahgreen
Shani Anderson
Christine Bloomfield (Bowmaker)
Sarah Claxton
Yvette Cordy (AUS)
Julie Crane
Alison Curbishley
Lisa Dobriskey
Shelley Drew
Sinead Dudgeon
Michelle Dunkley
Jessica Ennis-Hill
Jo Fenn
Donna Fraser
Emma Green (SWE)
Tanni Grey-Thompson (Paralympian)
Michelle Griffiths
Sally Gunnell
Amy Harris
Tracey Hinton (Paralympian)
Sophie Hitchon
Julie Hollman
Tiombe Hurd (USA)
Monique Jansen (Netherlands)
Jo Jennings
Jade Johnson
Carolina Kluft (SWE)
Leija Koeman (NED)
Morgan Lake
Tamsyn Lewis (AUS)
Keri Maddox
Joice Maduaka
Debbie Marti
Wanita May (CAN)
Jenny Meadows
Christine Ohuruogu
Marilyn Okoro
Mary Onyali (NGR)
Nova Peris Kneebone (AUS)
Barbara Pethran (HUN)
Steph Reid (Paralympian)
Sarah Reilly (IRE)
Marcia Richardson
Diedre Ryan (IRE)
Nicola Sanders
Tessa Sanderson
Goldie Sayers
Lorraine Shaw
Perri Shakes-Drayton
Kelly Sotherton
Levern Spencer (St Lucia)
Kate Staples
Laura Turner
Grace Upshaw (USA)
Janine Whitlock
Sarah Wilhelmy
Melani Wilkins
Jodie Williams
Monique Williams (NZ)
Aileen Wilson