It is with great pleasure that the Isle of Man Athletics Association announce that International 10km and Half Marathon runner Ollie Lockley has been appointed as their Athletics Development Officer for the next three years. Lockley was successful in a full appointments process and will start his new role on 1st December 2023.
The sport has seen some great success in recent years, however, there are number of structural improvements that are required for this success to be replicated in years to come. In addition the probability of a home Island Games in 2029 means much preparation needs to begin now, so the sport is ready to host a full athletics programme in six years’ time.
Lockley said “I’m delighted to be appointed as the new Isle of Man Athletics Development Officer. I have been an athlete myself for a number of years and I still aspire to further my running development alongside this job. I am very excited to work within this role, and look forward to the challenge and working collaboratively with the IOMAA, local clubs, and IOM Sport. I hope I can help people of all ages and abilities progress and enjoy their involvement in athletics, whether that be as an athlete, coach, official or volunteer. I strongly believe that as an Island we can flourish and continue to establish ourselves as an exceptional athletics community.”
Isle of Man Athletics Chairperson Helen Thompson said “We are thrilled with the appointment of Ollie Lockley as the new Athletics Development Officer. This appointment comes as part of our commitment to Island Athletics. Ollie brings a wealth of experience and expertise in athletics, his passion for sports development, dedication, and innovative approach makes him an ideal choice for this vital role. As the Athletics Development Officer, Ollie will be responsible for implementing and overseeing various programs aimed at nurturing and advancing the skills and potential of athletes on the Island. He will collaborate with sports clubs, community organizations and eventually schools to create a robust framework for the development of athletic talent.
IOMAA is excited to have Ollie join our team, and we believe that he will play a pivotal role in driving sports excellence and encouraging healthy competition among our athletes.”
Lockley will be present at a number of high profile meetings during the month of November to help prepare for his start as development officer. The IOMA wish to thank IOM Sport for their help in bringing this appointment about and also in funding 50% of the cost of the role. The whole athletics and sporting community wish him well in his new role and hope to see the success of his racing replicated in this role so ensuring the successful future of the sport.