AW – Athletics Weekly Magazine AW February 2022 Back Issue

The February issue of AW turns the focus on the health of athletics and looks at a number of key areas in the sport.

In the first part of our State of Play series, we look at the increasing global reach of athletics, as well as tackling some of the big issues such as the guidelines around DSD and transgender athletes and the ongoing fight against doping. We also look at Great Britain's strengths and weaknesses across the events, plus how the grass roots is managing to cope in the wake of Covid, what the biggest problems are at the bottom of the pyramid and pose the question of whether or not it's time for clubs to start adopting a more professional model.

This month's cover star is five-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, the Jamaican sprinter who swept all before her in Tokyo. She speaks with Euan Crumley across a range of subjects, from closing in on the 100m world record to the rising standards of women's sprinting and her decision to leave her long-time coach.

As the indoor season hots up, European medallist Verity Ockenden writes about the differences of racing under cover, while young British sprinter Amy Hunt talks through her journey back to the start line after injury.

February is LGBTQ+ History Month and race walker Tom Bosworth, as well as sprinter Corrine Humphreys talk about their experiences as openly gay athletes.

With the English National Cross Country Championships making their return this month, Mark Shearman delves into his photographic archive to select some of his favourite images from the event through the years, plus Statto Steve Smythe looks back at the great off-road performances.

A packed performance section features Andy Young, coach of Laura Muir and Jemma Reekie, discussing the art of middle-distance running, plus running shoe guru Paul Freary looks at the latest Spring shoe releases.

There are all the usual features, too, including My Greatest Race, Me and My Club and Ask the Athlete.