Past Athletes

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 29 years, as well as an incredible 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 SILVER), and the Paralympic athletes David Weir (T54 800m & 1500m GOLD), Johnny Peacock (T 100m GOLD), Hannah Cockcroft 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. 

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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 rising to 220 in 218 and by 2023 there were over 350 this is obviously the right way to go. In the early days co-operation between ourselves and the Throws and Jumps Coordinators for EA meant that we targeted the athletes who need the competition - from grass roots to Elite.  But now it's reputation does this job and we continue to grow.  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.

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However, with our 30th Anniversary looming in 2024 it was decided that we should (at least for this year) return to our original format of Track and Field.   The Track programme will consist of 100m, 200m and 400m races but we will also run 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m Relays together with a return to our exciting 4 x 75m Relay for Schools.  Hurdles will be run at the Hurdles Fest on the same day.   The Field programme will, as usual, include HJ, LJ, TJ, Shot, Discus, Hammer and Javelin.