RPMF Grant Awards 2020
Again this year, we received nearly 500 Applications during October and November of 2019, which made for an incredibly difficult selection process, as not only were the overall numbers high, the quality of the applications and the demonstration of need was amongst the highest the RPMF had ever received. After much deliberation and a mammoth 8 hour final meeting, the RPMF distributed a near record total amount of nearly £40,000 in grants to 187 talented young British athletes.
We are dependent each year upon the gallant fundraising efforts of our wonderful band of “Ronners” that take part in the London Marathon, for our Grant budget. In the 2019 London Marathon, an unusually large number of our runners suffered injuries in the build up and unfortunately kept a few of them taking up their place on the starting line. This of course had an impact on our available funds, and also made our decisions even tougher this year. Many of these unfortunate “Ronners” have asked to take up their places this year, so we are looking forward to a successful 2020 London Marathon, in the 40th Anniversary of the event that Ron Pickering proudly commentated on for the first 10 years.
Two recipients in particular, Harry Coppel and Harry Hughes, brought a great deal of discussion from within the Grants Committee, and that is because we felt that they were unlucky not to have been selected to British Athletics World Class Programme this year. We hope that a little bit of support from us will improve their chances of being selected for Tokyo2020, and wish them well in their quest.
Among the other awardees this year were a number of medalists from the recent European U20 Championships in Boras: Amy Hunt, Isobel Boffey, Oliver Dustin, Ben Pattison, Seamus Derbyshire and Holly Mills. Similarly, the Fund was able to support other developing internationals that excelled at events such as the European U23 Championships in Gavle, including Cameron Fillery.
A number of English Schools winners and National Age Group Champions were included, particularly within the younger recipients of the Grants.
Included in this year’s recipients were 16 athletes from the Disability sector of the sport, including Zac Skinner (T13 LJ) who finished 5th in the men’s T13 long jump final at the 2019 World Para-Athletics Championships in Dubai.
Just over 50% of the recipients (90) were aged 17 or under, and a further 28% aged 18-19 years with the remaining 24% aged 20yrs or over.
Distribution among events groups was: Sprints/Hurdles: 32%, Middle Distance 11%, Endurance: 13%, Jumps: 18%, Throws: 19% and Multi-Events: 7%.
Athletes from over 100 Clubs received support. Top clubs whose athletes received awards were Sale Harriers Manchester, with 8 recipients and Birchfield Harriers, Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Enfield & Haringey AC, Newham & Essex Beagles and Blackheath & Bromley AC with 5 athletes each,
You can find the full list of the 2020 grants recipients here.
