Among those we remember are Tori Bowie, Dick Fosbury, Jim Hines, Ralph Boston, Mike McFarlane, Shaun Pickering and Tim Lobinger
The No.1 Olympic sport has lost a number of valuable and much-loved coaches and world-class athletes plus administrators and officials in 2023.
Here are some of the obituaries and tributes we have published in the past 12 months.
Dick Fosbury in 1968 (Mark Shearman)
Dick Fosbury
The 1968 gold medallist revolutionised the high jump by inventing the ‘Fosbury flop’ – an innovative technique which caught the imagination of the world.
He died from cancer just days after turning 76 and his agent, Ray Schulte, said: “Dick will be greatly missed by friends and fans from around the world. A true legend, and friend of all!”
Obituary here.
Jim Hines (Getty)
Jim Hines
American sprinter held the world 100m record for 15 years and won Olympic 100m and 4x100m titles at the 1968 Mexico Olympics.
He died in June aged 76.
Obituary here.
Mike McFarlane (Mark Shearman)
Mike McFarlane
Olympic sprint relay silver medallist and Commonwealth 200m champion in the 1980s “Mac”, as he was known, became a popular and successful sprints coach but died following a heart attack aged 63.
“Mike was an amazing son, husband, father, brother, coach and friend,” his family said in a statement.
Obituary here plus tributes here.
Ron Roddan and Linford Christie (Mark Shearman)
Ron Roddan
The 91-year-old sprints coach is best known for guiding Linford Christie to Olympic and world 100m titles but also coached a number of other world-class athletes like Darren Campbell and Katharine Merry.
“Ron was devoted to his athletes, brutally honest, pushing them to their absolute best,” said Christie’s management agency Nuff Respect. “This most modest of men was at his happiest with a stopwatch in his hand, standing trackside.”
Obituary here.
Peter Matthews (Mark Shearman)
Peter Matthews
One of the most respected voices in the sport and arguably the world’s foremost track and field statistician died aged 78.
As well as being a statistician he was a book editor, stadium announcer, radio and television commentator, historian and club president with Enfield & Haringey and died in his sleep in September after a recent history of heart problems.
Obituary here.
Tori Bowie (Getty)
Tori Bowie
The 2017 world 100m champion and multiple Olympic medallist tragically died at home during childbirth aged just 32.
“Tori was a champion… a beacon of light that shined so bright!” her management agency, Icon, said in a statement.
Obituary here.
Shaun Pickering (Mark Shearman)
Shaun Pickering
Olympian, Commonwealth shot put medallist and multiple Welsh champion in the shot, discus and hammer, Pickering, who died in May aged 61, was also the driving force behind the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund in recent years.
“One of my best friends and much more importantly one of the nicest and kindest people I’ve ever met,” said Daley Thompson.
Obituary here.
Tim Lobinger (Mark Shearman)
Tim Lobinger
The four-time Olympian and 2003 world indoor pole vault champion had an aggressive form of cancer and died in February aged just 50.
Lobinger was the first German vaulter to clear the six-metre barrier and in addition to his world indoor triumph 20 years ago, he won European indoor gold medals in Valencia 1998 and Vienna 2002.
Obituary here.
Crystal Palace, 1968 (l to r) Janet Simpson, Della Pascoe, Anita Neil, Val Peat (Mark Shearman)
Della Pascoe
A British 100m record-holder who competed in the sprints at the 1968 and 1972 Olympics died aged 74.
She was also married to Alan Pascoe and passed away peacefully in June after suffering from Parkinson’s Disease in recent years.
Obituary here.
John Lister with Lynn Davies and Ralph Boston
John Lister
One of Britain’s leading athletics administrators and innovators and one of the architects of the structure of the modern-day sport in the UK, he died aged 81 in May.
“John was a personal friend and an uncompromising leader and administrator and the sport of athletics in the UK,” said Lynn Davies, “and indeed Europe has lost an exceptional pace-setter who devoted his life to our sport.”
Obituary here.
Ralph Boston (Getty)
Ralph Boston
The 1960 Olympic long jump gold medallist and six-time world record-holder died aged 83 following a stroke.
Carl Lewis said: “As a child I idolised him and he was a major influence in my life. I’ll miss his voice and support. He changed the game as an athlete, advocate and mentor.”
Obituary here.
Greg Foster (Mark Shearman)
Greg Foster
The American won a hat-trick of 110m hurdles world titles in Helsinki in 1983, Rome in 1987 and Tokyo in 1991 in addition to Olympic silver in 1984 and a world indoor 60m hurdles crown in 1991.
Aged 64, he died in February after struggling with recent heart problems.
Obituary here.
Phyllis Perkins (Mark Shearman)
Phyllis Perkins
British athlete held world records at 1500m, 3000m and two miles and won national titles on the track and country in the 1950s.
She died in March aged 89.
Obituary here.
Dave Martin (Mark Shearman)
Dave Martin
Long-time athletics journalist, the “Captain”, as he was known, wrote for AW and worked for the Great Run Company and Press Association.
“The Captain was truly a unique, special and much loved man,” said Paula Radcliffe. “He was the life and soul of any event, a journalist with ethics as well as someone who brought athletics to the forefront.”
Obituary here.
George Harrison
Coach to athletes such as British 3000m steeplechase record-holder Lizzie Bird and 800m runners Kyle Langford and Marilyn Okoro, he died in his sleep at home in January aged 90.
“If he believed you could do it, you had to believe it,” said middle-distance runner Ellie Baker.
Obituary here.
John Bicourt (Mark Shearman)
John Bicourt
Held the English record for 3000m steeplechase and ran for Britain in the Munich and Montreal Olympics in the 1970s.
The 77-year-old, who died in January, was also a school teacher, university lecturer and pioneering athlete agent.
Obituary here.
Bob Hersh (Getty)
Bob Hersh
The American, who died in January in New York aged 82, was a stadium announcer and commentator, official, writer and administrator during a rich career.
His commentary work included being the in-stadia announcer at six Olympics and nine world championships dating back to the LA Games in 1984.
Obituary here.
John Nuttall (Mark Shearman)
John Nuttall
The Olympian, Commonwealth 5000m medallist and endurance coach died from a heart attack aged just 56.
“A much-loved dad, son, brother and husband. For those that loved John, our hearts are breaking,” said his wife, Liz McColgan.
Obituary here.
Ray Middleton (Mark Shearman)
Ray Middleton
The 1964 Olympian and 1966 Commonwealth silver medallist died aged 86 after a short illness.
Regarded as one of Britain’s all-time greats in race walking, the London-born athlete was 13th in the 50km at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Obituary here.
Rod Lock
The Southampton AC and British Milers’ Club stalwart (above, fourth from right) died peacefully at Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea in January from cancer aged 73.
“He was a great coach, an inspiration, a great friend, simply a great human being,” said Alex Teuten. “He will be sorely missed but his legacy lives on.”
Obituary here.
» Subscribe to AW magazine here