03 January 2012

The athletics community has been paying tribute to prolific endurance coach Frank Horwill who died at the age of 84, on New Year’s Day.

Horwill, who received an MBE for voluntary services to sport in June 2011, coached many successful British endurance athletes over the years including European and Commonwealth 5000m bronze medallist Tim Hutchings, a fourth place finisher in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and twice a silver medallist in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

He was co-founder of the British Milers Club and a regular contributor to Athletics Weekly magazine.

Horwill’s five-pace training system has been adopted by many coaches around the world including Peter Coe, coach and father of Seb Coe, and at October’s European Endurance Conference in London, Coe presented an award to Horwill – who he who he credits with providing much of the information his father gleaned over the years – in recognition of his MBE.

Kevin Tyler, UKA’s Head of Coaching and Development said: “Frank was inspiring, motivating and hugely knowledgeable about athletics and he leaves an extraordinary legacy. He was a genuine character and a prolific writer whose materials influenced coaches around the world. He will be missed by the whole athletics community.”