News
Congratulations to Reading AC’s Sammy Ball who won the UK indoor heptahlon championships in Glasgow on 28 Feb - 1 Mar. Sammy's score of 5,849 points is a new club record, places him number one in the current season UK rankings and seventh oun the UK all-time list. The YouTubevideo of his perfomance is attached here.
Reading Athletic Club is happy to announce that our updated bursary award scheme is now open for applications. Please note that the Club has changed the awards system. Importantly, to be considered, athletes must submit their application for a bursary.
The awards will be for 12 months in duration and open to athetes who were in the U13 age group and above in the 2025 track season or 2025-26 cross-country season.
There will be 3 tiers of awards.
Tier 1 £250 cash award and free training for 12 months.
Tier 2 £150 cash award and free training for 12 months
Tier 3 £50 cash award and free training for 12 months
The Club is able to fund thirteen bursaries for 2026 and will distribute these fairly across the variety of disciplines. This will include four track awards, three field awards, three cross country awards and an additional three awards at the Chair’s discretion. Combined events athletes can be selected under track, field or the Chair’s discretion categories.
To be considered for the award of a bursary two conditions must be met: the attainment of a qualifying standard and a demonstration of commitment to Reading Athletic Club in 2025.
Qualifying Standards for a Bursary
An athlete must have achieved one of the following standards in the period 1 March 2025 - 28 February 2026 to be considered for a 2026 Reading AC bursary:
Ranking top 10 in age group for a recognised event on power of 10.
Top 10 position in National Cross Country Championships.
National representation at Home Countries International or other international event.
UK Athletics Level 9 standard
English Schools’ National Standard
Club Commitment Standard
An athlete will only be considered for a bursary award, if they have made a clear commitment to participate in at least three club league events or relays and score team points. Evidence of commitment must be stated on the application form where previous opportunities to represent Reading Athletic Club have been taken during the last 12 months. League events can include track and field or cross-country leagues. Relays can include National track relays or any road/cross country relays.
Once the submission deadline has passed a small grounp of Club Council offiicals will review all applicatios and make recommendations to the Club’s Council. Athletes will be notified of their successful applications in mid-March prior to membership renewal requirements at the beginning of April.
Please note that award holders will need to pay for annual membership but the financial element can be spent on any athletic related activity including the annual membership fee, clothing, sports equipment or travel to athletic events.
Please order before end of 16 December.
Final pickups from the Club House before Christmas will be:
Thuersday 18 December training session, and Friday 19 December session before 6.15pm
Later orders can still be collected from Wargrave before 25 December.
Please ensure the name you would like under the Reading AC logo is clearly indicated.
If you want additional engraving such as season personal bests, please indicate when ordering and will cost £3.
Enter via the Club Champs Group on the Spond App
Entry deadline 11:00pm on 20 September 2025.
Entry fees:
1 event £4
2 Events £5
3 Events £6
Quadkids £5
Reading AC Club Championships open to all Reading AC members. U13 and above.
U13 athletes may either enter the Quadkids competition or the Club Championships.
U7, U9 and U11 athletes may only enter the Quadkids competion.
Electronic timing
The provisional timetable will be updated when final entrie are known.
Provisional Field Timetable
09:45 Javelin U13, U15 B&G
10:00 High Jump U17+ (M&W)
10:05 Vortex U7QK
10:15 Long Jump (Standing) U7 QK
10:20 Vortex U9 QK
10:30 Long Jump (Standing) U9 QK
10:35 Shot U11 QK
10:45 Long Jump U13 QK
11:00 High Jump U13, U15 (B&G)
11:00 Javelin U17+ (M&W)
11:10 Long Jump U11 QK
11:20 Shot U13 QK
11:50 Discus U13, U15 B&G
12:30 Shot U17+ (M&W)
13:30 Discus U17+ (M&W)
14:00 Long Jump U17+ (M&W)
14:20 Hammer All ages
15:00 Long Jump U13G, U15G
15:00 Shot Put U13B, U15B
16:00 Long Jump U13B, U15B
16:00 Shot Put U13G U15B
Provisional Track Timetable
10:00 50m (U7 & U9 Quadkids)
10:25 75m (U11 & U13 Quadkids)
11:05 75m (Club Champs)
11:20 400m
11:50 800m
12:25 400m hurdles
12:35 600m
13:10 150m
13:50 100m
14:40 300m
15:00 1,500m
15:25 200m
16:05 4x100m
Once again, our club kit is now available to pre-order via the Joinin Shop on LoveAdmin.
The kit features our unique lion logo on all items of clothing and the lion 'watermark' on the back of standard competition vests and wrapped around the side of the Technical short and long-sleeved T-Shirts.
Athletes T-shirts are red and coaches/ team managers T-shirts are royal blue, whilst all of the hoodies are royal blue. Coaches and Team managers kit is set at a lower price. When you click 'checkout', you will have to choose who the hoodie is for and which size to order using the size form. You can still cancel your choice after you have clicked on 'checkout' by deleting the item from your basket before you finally make the payment.
We currently have a reasonable stock of crop tops, standard vests and ultra-light vests in the clubhouse, so you can pop in any Tuesday evening to try and buy via card reader on the spot or talk to Julie Rayfield or Charlotte Webb on a Friday. The standard vests (with lion logo) come in full back or racer (X) back choices. The Epic Ultra-light vests (no lion logo) all come with racer backs. You can pay for any of the vests and crop tops either on LoveAdmin or by card reader in the clubhouse.
All of the T-shirts and hoodies need to be ordered via our Joinin Shop before midnight on Wednesday 1st October so that we can have the order ready to hand out in time for Christmas.
If you have problems ordering your kit on LoveAdmin, contact Sarah Ball on sarah_ball@live.co.uk
Members should feel free to pop into the clubhouse on Tuesdays to try on a few sizes before ordering.
We look forward to seeing our kit on display at many winter competitions and during training sessions,
The Palmer Park track resurfacing is now complete and the track is now open for training on Tuesday & Thursday evenings 5:30-8:00pm, Friday 5:15-6:15pm and Sunday mornings 9:00-12:00pm.
The resurfaced track has been completed with the high performance Polytan Rekortan PUR system, the same surface used for the Diamond League meetings in Doha, Qatar and the Décastar meeting in Bordeaux, France.
Most of the track has been replaced like-for-like. However, the 110m hurdles start and finish lines have been reset so they are compatible with photo finish.
The infield long/triple jump runway and pit have been re-vamped and training can now commence again in this area.
The first meeting at the new stadium will, appropriately, be the delayed club championships from 09:45 to 5:00pm on Sunday 28 September. The provisional timetable is to follow.
Photos are courtesy of Reading Borough Council.
We’re saddenned to announce the recent passing of Len Twort at the age of eighty-four.
Len was a renowned field official for Reading Athletic Club who was selected for the 2012 London Olympic Games to be the Chief of the High Jump.
Len passed-away very peacefully on 22 August 2025, one day after his eighty-fourth birthday which he celebrated with his entire family present. We wish his wife Linda and the wider family our thoughts at this time.
Len will be remembered at Reading Athletic Club for his kindness, dedication and his genuine interest in the development of so many younger athletes.
Len’s funeral will be a family event. His wish to be buried in his 2012 Olympics suit is being honoured by his family.
Rest in Peace, Len.
Please remember that Palmer Park track is closed for resurfacing which is expected to continue until mid July. All athletes should have already been contacted by their coach to confirm the temporary training arrangements. Alternative venues organised by the club include Blue Coat School, Sonning on Tuesdays and Thursdays evenings between 6pm and 8pm and Little Marlow Track near Marlow on Sundays from 10am til 12pm. Some coaches are still using the public areas in Palmer Park for some of their training sessions.
Sundays 10am - 12pm
Wycombe District Athletics Complex, Marlow Rd, Little Marlow, Marlow SL7 3RS
Tuesdays 6pm - 8pm
Thursdays 6pm - 8pm
Sonning Ln, Sonning, Reading RG4 6SU
Members keen to get the new club kit before the track closure in April should place there orders before 8 March.
Visit the Joined in store
