183: Is Athletics A Dying Sport? (And Can We Save It)

Following Josh Kerr’s comments that the prize money for breaking the One Mile World Record was “ridiculous” and “appalling”, we take a closer look at the state of athletics and ask a bigger question: why does one of the world’s most popular participation sports struggle to attract the audience and attention it deserves? With low attendances at major events, including this week’s European Championships in Birmingham, and athletes increasingly questioning whether their performances are properly valued, we explore the disconnect between the millions of people who run and the relatively small number who watch athletics. Andy shares his own journey to the world stage, the sacrifices it took to get there, and what success really meant to him. Was it the financial reward, the achievement itself, or the pride of representing your country? We also look at what World Athletics is doing to modernise the sport, attract new audiences and make athletics a more attractive prospect - and ask whether these initiatives can actually secure the future of the sport. The Running Channel Podcast tackles one big topic each episode, amongst helpful tips and light-hearted chat on the latest news in the running world. Hosted by Sarah Hartley (amateur runner) and Andy Baddeley (former pro runner) alongside Rick Kelsey (recovering runner), the TRC Podcast is friendly, jargon-free, and the perfect accompaniment to your runs. Join The Running Channel Club for exclusive additional podcast episodes, bite-sized courses, live Q&As and so much more! Head to The Running Channel Club For all enquiries contact podcast@therunningchannel.com . If you liked this, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. And leave us a 5* review and rating, it really helps us get discovered. We're on YouTube too, so check us out there: www.youtube.com/runningchannel .