Volunteers sought for record-breaking runner's club

Phoebe Gill broke a 45-year-old record in Northern Ireland

The coach of a 17-year-old athlete who broke a 45-year-old European 800m record has stressed the importance of volunteers at her club.

Phoebe Gill, from St Albans in Hertfordshire, ran the distance in a time of one minute 57.86 seconds at the Belfast Irish Milers Meet on 11 May - beating the European Under-18 record of 1:59.65.

The track at St Albans Athletic Club where she trained was under threat of closure before a group of volunteers took on management of the site from the council.

Coach Deborah Steer said: "We are volunteer-led so you can't just have an influx of children wanting to be the next Phoebe Gill because we haven't got the manpower."

There were concerns for the future of Abbey View Athletics Track, used by the club, after the council closed the nearby pavilion, which had been open since 1971.

The club formed a charity called Abbey View Community Athletics Track to take over management of the track and fundraise for a new building.

The teenager's running club was "not entirely shocked" by her success

Ms Steer said: "It's been a very challenging year or so because we didn't know what was going to happen.

"Obviously we're a little bit up in the air which is a real shame when we can see the difference that having excellent sports people makes to the local community's health and fitness."

She said much grass roots athletics relied on volunteers despite being popular for spectators at large scale events, like the Olympics.

"It's down to us opening and closing the track for the school, the club sessions and for St Albans Striders," she said.

"If people want to come and volunteer and help with coaching, running the track and all that sort of thing - and then bring your children - that would be a double bonus."

'Pedestal'

The coach admitted that watching Phoebe's winning race was "quite stressful" but the club was "not entirely shocked by her overall performance".

"Watching her train at St Albans we knew something special might be on the cards this year," she said.

"What gives her the edge is she's a very humble athlete."

The teenager has become a role model at the club, which has a squad of 50 athletes, from under-11s to seniors.

Ms Steer added: "She [Phoebe] always praises them on their work ethic and their races, the ability to be humble in your success is key.

"She doesn't put herself on the pedestal that perhaps other athletes with her abilities would do."

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