by Dwayne Cowan, World bronze and European silver medallist for GB in the 4 x 400m relay

‘This place was the springboard to my athletics career. Even though my dad (the late Lloyd Cowan MBE) was a national athletics coach, my sport originally was football. I had a trial for AFC Wimbledon and moved into the area, two minutes from the track. So one rainy night I walked down there to see if I could do some speed training. I was introduced to one of the sprint coaches, and that is how it started.

'When I was bidding to be selected for GB, Hercules Wimbledon supported and helped me financially to train and compete abroad. This is a very successful club with so many good athletes, and we need to do everything to make sure the track stays open, so that youngsters, especially, have somewhere to train consistently and keep active.

'I like to think that the next curious person who turns up in the rain to see what athletics is all about, will have the same opportunities as me’.

by Patrick Hutchinson, Hercules Wimbledon coach, celebrated globally for saving a counter-protester amid the Black Lives Matter demonstration in June 2020, and author of Everyone Versus Racism; A Letter to my Children

‘Few sports are as diverse, bring more people together, or are more affordable than athletics. All you need is a pair of trainers. On a Club training night at Wimbledon Park the number of people of all ages and backgrounds is a joy to behold. What really touches me is seeing the kids I started coaching five years ago all grown up – some of them are taller than me now! But they are still training, still enjoying themselves and winning medals at county and national level. I’m in awe of how much they have improved and what they have achieved. I feel like a proud parent.

'So it goes without saying that it would be a huge loss to the community, and especially the children, if the track had to be closed – at a time when everyone is concerned about obesity.

'And it isn’t only those from this borough who would lose out. I have brought children to join Hercules Wimbledon from neighbouring boroughs because it is a safe environment for them to be active and meet like minded kids.

'You make different groups of friends throughout your life – at school, college, uni etc – but when you spend so much time training and competing together your track friends are often your friends forever.’

by Dave Clarke, Club Chairman, who has been a member of Hercules Wimbledon AC since he was a teenager, and represented Great Britain at World Championship level on the track, road and cross country. He still holds every Club record from 1500m to the Marathon.

'Joining Hercules Wimbledon in 1975 was truly a life-changing event for me; I had always loved sport at school but had no idea whether I had the ability to be really good. This all changed once I met John Sullivan following the Surrey Junior XC championships in January 1976. John was to be my coach for almost 20 years, and he guided me to national and international honours.

'Through the Club I met some wonderful role models who helped me mature as an athlete, handing down much needed advice and keeping me company on training sessions, throughout all weathers. The heart of an athletics club is the track and field section and I would never have developed in the way I did without being able to train properly at our Wimbledon Park stadium. Although it may have been only a cinder track in those days, having access to a proper 400m track enabled me to improve my strength, speed and endurance.