The SETAFA Academy going from strength to strength

There is no doubt the South of England Athletics Academy is the place to be for ambitious athletes. This weekend we saw 2 Academy Sprinters Laila Rawlings and Harriett Griffiths-Horrod compete in the Indoor Athletics Champs. Both girls are still progressing and have now successfully adapted to the top tier of the countries age group championships. Running at the England Champs is the highest competition available for U15 and U17 athletes.

Obviously it is a very tall order when you have no indoor athletics training facilities even close by but this only shows the talented athletes currently training with the academy. To train for the indoor season in the freezing cold and torrential rain takes a certain kind of individual. The older generations constantly speak of how lazy the younger generations are but I beg to differ. Come down the Mountbatten centre on a dark January and February and you will find commitment and determination on show.

This weekend the academy had Harriet and Laila in Sheffield whilst all the way over in Houston Texas Zac Williams was strutting his stuff in the 200m and 400m with a new PB gained in the 400m. Next weekend we find Fola Odofin competing at the BUCS champs in Sheffield representing Cardiff University.

The rest of the academy are now in their final training cycle leading into the 2026 outdoor season. The first year with new age groups will make for some added excitement in the athletics league and County champs.

We have an amazing array of talented athletes right through the age groups for 2026 and it will be great to see all of the successes to come.

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