British Athletics has welcomed today’s Active People Survey results, which show athletics to be the sport taken up by the highest number of people over the past seven years.  Since the Games were awarded to London in 2005, athletics has increased participation by 604,200. 

The survey shows that the last 12 months has seen a particular surge in track and field participation, with a 25% increase following the London 2012 Games, where athletics provided some of the most inspirational moments for the watching nation.

England Athletics Chief Executive Chris Jones welcomed the news but warned against complacency,

“We targeted Sport England development funding on assisting our clubs and volunteers to prepare themselves for the likely upsurge in interest around the Games. 

“Our job now is to continue with that support in order to further help clubs keep these new participants in the sport. Sport England funding, in tandem with the tireless efforts of volunteers is the key to sustaining these levels of participation’.

UKA Chief Executive Niels de Vos added,

“These results for England are mirrored across the other Home Countries too, which is excellent news for British Athletics.  The sport has led the way in terms of overall growth and participation numbers over the past seven years and has also seen big improvements in para-athlete integration and the rates of female participation in our sport – two areas where we have been particularly focussed. 

“The London effect is clear to see – great athletics inspires participation, just as it will with this summer’s Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games, next year’s Commonwealth Games and when the World Championships come back to London in 2017.”