The Athletics World Class Pathway is focussed on podium or top 8 success at Olympic and World competitions. For disabled athletes, the target is podium at World Championships and Paralympics.
As outlined below there are three components of the World Class Pathway, each supported by their own dedicated UKA performance staff and overseen by Dave Collins (Performance Director).
Programme Levels |
| Years to the Podium |
| Performance Staff Responsibilities |
World Class Podium A, B, C Focussed output - Olympic medallists + finalists
|
| Already there or two years away at most |
| Senior Performance Managers support Senior Performance Coaches & personal coaches in work with podium athletes. |
World Class Development D, E, F Focussed development to Olympic entry standard
|
| Three to six years away from the podium/top 8 target |
| Performance Managers support Performance Coaches & personal coaches in work with podium-bound athletes. |
World Class Talent Careful selection and foundation of gifted and motivated athletes
|
| Individuals showing the potential to reach the podium/top 8 target |
| Talent Development Managers work with athletes, parents & personal coaches to develop/ensure the skills required to reach the podium. |
Membership of the UKA World Class Programme at all three levels outlined above is conditional upon athletes entering into an Athlete Agreement. This agreement, a copy of which can be downloaded from the link below, reflects the fact that the World Class environment is about achieving excellence in everything we do, from meeting challenging performance targets on the sports field to managing ourselves to the highest professional standards. It summarises the services that UKA will provide to the athletes and outlines the responsibilities that our leading athletes are expected to observe.
The funding year for each of these programmes runs from December 1st to the end of November each year, allowing for an end of season review and providing athletes with adequate notice of a change in funding status. At the end of the season, the Athlete Performance Template (the APT which is used with Podium) or the Athlete Performance Potential Template (APPT, used with Development and Talent) are completed for all athletes currently on the programme, plus potential “new recruits” who are being assessed to see if they meet the criteria outlined above. The performance standards used as guidelines in this review process are currently being revised and will be available in the near future.
Athletes below this level of Performance are supported through the Event Management Groups, see this section of the website for further information.
