Gloucester Athletic Club provides training, coaching and competition in all forms of athletics - track & field, cross-country and road running - for anyone aged 6 upwards, at all levels from beginner to international standard, within a supportive and friendly environment.

 

We welcome people of all abilities, whether you just fancy ‘having a go’, want to compete at local level, have aspirations to compete in major championships, or would like to get involved in coaching or officiating.

 

The Club organises a range of track, road and multi-terrain races, and competes successfully in various leagues, including:

 

 

as well as various local, regional and national championships.

We have achieved Clubmark Accredited status

 

 

We have a large and very successful junior section who all receive structured coaching in a number of different training groups. Several of our juniors have gained international recognition, won national championships and set national all-time records.

 

In 1999, the club received an award from the Amateur Athletic Association of England in recognition of the Under 15s, who scored more points in track and field league competition than any other club in the country during the 1999 season.

 

In 2003, based on the performances of the juniors, the club received a grant from the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund to assist in junior development. Only twenty six clubs out of 1700+ clubs in the UK received the award.

The club is also home to the Gloucester Hammer School, run by Lorraine Shaw. Lorraine held the UK Women’s Hammer record for over 17 years. She first broke the record on 1st April 1994 with 59.92m and went on to break it a further 15 times, culminating with her personal best of 68.93m on 8th June 2003. This record stood until 1st May 2011. In her career, Lorraine represented Britain at two European Championships, three World Championships and two Olympic Games, and England at three Commonwealth Games, becoming Commonwealth Champion at Manchester in 2002

Our clubhouse is situated next to the Blackbridge synthetic athletics track near the Crypt School, Podsmead, Gloucester. Halfway along Podsmead Road, turn into Laburnum Road, then take the second turning on the right into Poplar Close. Follow this road to the very end (past the garages on your left along the unmade road) and you will finish up in our car park.

Gloucester AC member Lorraine Shaw

UK no.1 Women’s Hammer Thrower 1994 - 2011

 

1998 European Championships, Budapest, 11th, 58.19m

1998 Commonwealth Games, Kuala Lumpur, 2nd, 62.66m – Silver medal

1999 World Championships, Seville, 14th, 62.09m

2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, 9th, 64.27m

2001 World Championships, Edmonton, 6th, 65.89m

2002 Commonwealth Games, Manchester, 1st, 66.83m – Gold medal

2002 European Championships, Munich, 20th, 61.50m

2003 World Championships, Paris, 10th, 65.95m

2004 Olympic Games, Athens, 30th, 64.79m

2006 Commonwealth Games, 3rd, 66.00 – Bronze medal