I felt that the young athletes in the community deserved more consistent coverage and encouragement in the pages of the JC. I was able to show Danny a feature I had written on the London Marathon for the JC the previous year. It demonstrated that I had an enthusiast’s knowledge of athletics. Thankfully, possessing a modicum of knowledge of any other sport was not a requirement of the role. Danny took me on, and he has supported me throughout.
Since that time, I have written more than 400 articles on athletics for the JC, beginning with my Marathon Man series on how to prepare for the challenge of that distance. I have burned the midnight oil on most Monday evenings, to provide copy in time for the weekly deadline.
But this is my last day in the role. In a few days’ time I depart these shores for at least a year or two, to join my family, including my two grandchildren, in Israel. The title of JC athletics correspondent passes jointly to Rosalind Zeffertt and Murray Ayrton, who are both deeply involved in and passionate about the sport.
The role has brought me deep satisfaction. Through it, I have been privileged to come to know giants of the sport, who otherwise I might only admire from afar. For example, more than 50 years ago, I knew Roger Bruck as a name on the notice-board at Copthall Stadium, the holder of the Shaftesbury Harriers record for 100 yards.
