http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/view ... ?id=253995
Car park training fiasco for top county athletes
Published on 16/06/2005
By Amanda Little
CUMBRIA’S top women athletes have been forced to train in a car park because of the delay in re-opening Carlisle’s Sheepmount Stadium.
Border Harriers believe the lack of proper training facilities has been a major factor in them losing several female athletes, which has resulted in a major selection crisis for their UK Women’s League team.
Only six women turned up for the last match in Dagenham, where teams have to compete in 17 events.
It meant hammer throwers Bethan Lishman and Claire Moor-Grist had to compete in the long jump and sprinter Maria Morganella also had to take part in the javelin event.
Border have been without a home since the £3.6 million re-development work began at the Sheepmount last summer.
The new eight-lane track was expected to re-open this year, but work was halted on the development when the Sheepmount was submerged under several feet of water during January’s floods.
Work on the running track is now due to be completed by the end of July, but no date has been set for the opening.
Border women’s team manager Sharon Beattie revealed athletes used a tarmac car park at Kingstown Industrial Estate over the winter and are now using inadequate facilities at Bitts Park.
Until Border’s recent match in Dagenham, Beattie had been unable to practise her own event, the pole vault, for a year because of a lack of training facilities.
It has contributed to the biggest crisis facing Border successful women’s team which is now fighting for survival in the Third Division of the UK Athletics League.
“We have no track this year and we have very little strength in depth in our squad so when we have injuries or athletes unavailable, there is no one to step in,â€Â