As we have fun our eightieth anniversary, how we ship our complete protection of the game is evolving
Athletics Weekly has very humble beginnings. The person who invented it – Jimmy Inexperienced – initially produced the journal from the bed room of his bungalow in Kent in England. He additionally informed a white deceive get the publication off the bottom.
The primary subject, which got here out in December 1945, was intentionally named “Vol II No.1”. The explanation was that post-war rationing guidelines banned the launch of recent publications so, inside the problem, editor and founder Inexperienced talked about “the resumption of this paper”, when after all there had by no means earlier than been an athletics journal prefer it within the UK.
Inexperienced died in 1998 aged 88, however he had the satisfaction of seeing his thought develop into one thing of a nationwide establishment. Previous to the launch, buddies had warned him that he was “mad” and the thought would by no means work. “I thanked them for his or her recommendation and ignored them. I used to be pig-headed,” he later stated.
Inexperienced’s instincts have been right and, remarkably, 80 years on from that fateful choice, the publication continues to be going robust. Such was the recognition of the product it went from being a month-to-month journal known as Athletics to a weekly title in 1950. Thereafter, the nickname “AW” was born.
The journal established itself because the historian of the game. Gross sales grew steadily because it charted the game’s traditional moments, reminiscent of Roger Bannister’s sub-four-minute mile, plus large modifications such because the change from cinder to all-weather tracks, development of girls’s athletics and naturally damaging components reminiscent of the appearance of performance-enhancing medication.
No fewer than 20 editions of the Olympics and each one of many 19 editions of the World Championships have been documented in AW’s pages – in addition to numerous occasions from each degree of the game. Nearly each prime athlete has seen their rise adopted by the journal, too.
Simply as the game of athletics has advanced, so AW has needed to do likewise. After a Covid-induced hiatus, the journal relaunched as a month-to-month title in October 2020, whereas the net operation – with athleticsweekly.com at its coronary heart – has grow to be more and more necessary in assembly the demand for as much as the minute information.
In actual fact, as AW celebrates its eightieth anniversary, we’re excited to introduce a model new web site – designed to reinforce your expertise and convey you even nearer to the game you like. Launching in April 2025, the positioning affords a cleaner, extra intuitive design, making it simpler than ever to entry the most recent information, unique interviews and in-depth protection.
New options
Whereas AW stays the go-to platform for athletics followers, we’re introducing thrilling new options to take our protection to the subsequent degree:
The Legends Sequence
Unique interviews with figures who’ve formed the game.
Mini-Documentaries
Showcasing the celebs of the long run as we go to the UK’s most profitable golf equipment and universities.
Enhanced Person Expertise
A contemporary, streamlined interface with improved navigation.
Fewer Advertisements, Extra Content material
A discount in intrusive advertisements for a smoother studying expertise.
Premium Journalism
Whereas choose tales stay free, premium content material will now be obtainable by way of a paywall to assist high-quality reporting. Examine our our subscription choices
“Our new web site is the subsequent step in Athletics Weekly’s evolution and can see readers accessing extra insightful video content material and unique interviews,” says AW Managing Director and Olympian Wendy Sly.
“During the last 80 years the publication has moved with the occasions, altering from weekly to month-to-month, changing into much less outcomes pushed and growing a extra function and digitally centered format.
“Now, as a substitute of printing race leads to {a magazine}, we’re capable of get them out virtually immediately on our social media channels.
“One factor that has by no means modified, although, is that we’re a revered and trusted supply of reports within the No.1 Olympic sport.”
