top of page
PM5_8862.JPG

Past Athletes

BIG has been the home to some key moments in British Athletics History

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. 

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.

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.   

Men

Larry Achike

Francis Agyepong

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

Femi Akinsanya

Chris Baillie

Chris Baker

Jamie Baulch

Tim Benjamin

Montez Blair (USA)

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)

Nick Percy

Craig Pickering

John Regis

Ben Rushgrove (Paralympian)

Greg Rutherford

Luke Sinnott (Paralympian)

Zak Skinner (Paralympian)

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)

Emily Borthwick

Sarah Claxton

Hannah Cockcroft (Paralympian)

Yvette Cordy (AUS)

Alison Curbishley

Lisa Dobriskey

Shelley Drew

Sinead Dudgeon

Michelle Dunkley

Jessica Ennis-Hill

Jo Fenn

Sabrina Fortune (Paralympian)

Donna Fraser

Emma Green (SWE)

Tanni Grey-Thompson (Paralympian)

Michelle Griffiths

Sally Gunnell

Amy Harris

Britney henry (USA)

Tracey Hinton (Paralympian)

Sophie Hitchon

Julie Hollman

Tiombe Hurd (USA)

Abigail Irozuru

Simmone Jacobs

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)

Sophie McKinna

Jenny Meadows

Naomi Ogbeta

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

Jazmine Sawyers

Goldie Sayers

Lorraine Shaw

Perri Shakes-Drayton

Trecia Smith (JAMAICA)

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

Lizzie Yarnold

bottom of page