Track stars united in bid to save Crystal Palace from bulldozers
FORMER stars of British athletics have warned officials run the risk of erasing a generation of future London Olympians if the bulldozers are brought in to the “Wembley of track and field”.
There are fears among former British world and European medallists that the outdoor and indoor track facilities at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre could be eradicated altogether under the current consultation process.
Conrad Williams, who won European and Commonwealth gold, as well as wo rl d s i lve r, ove rs e e s a g ro u p o f athletes training at the venue five times a week. “This used to be a platform, a place where a generation of athletes could dream of Olympic success,” he said. “It was here where world records were broken.
“Deep down, I’m concerned that it could go. There’s nothing like this anymore. This is our Wembley of track competition with each other, if, as expected, they meet in Sunday’s final there will be few surprises for either player. Djokovic will have the higher confidence, having muscled his way from 22nd in the world in June to be end-of-year world No1 as well as winning Wimbledon and the US Open.
Plus, he edged the three-hour, threeset marathon in their recent Paris showreel, a match worthy of a place alongside their US Open semi-finals of 2010 and 2011, the French Open lastfour encounter in 2011 or the 2014 Wimbledon final.
Djokovic (left) ranked Paris as “the best quality match I was part of” in 2018, eclipsing even the Nadal semi-final at Wimbledon. And looking ahead to a potential 48th match against Federer, he said: “When I get to play Roger, I know I have to get the best out of myself and field — and if our Wembley goes, it leaves a big hole in the area.”
Proposals being discussed include much of the athletics stadium being demolished, along with the Jubilee Stand. An indoor track could yet be contained in a new building, plans for in order to win, and that’s why our rivalries and matches are so special.”
Then there is the London factor for Djokovic who, having also reached the Queen’s final this year, boasts 13 out of 14 wins in the capital in 2018 alone, a city where he is bidding for his 10th consecutive win tonight.
But Federer is no stranger to ending a Djokovic streak. “It [the rivalry] was always overshadowed by the rivalry I had in previous years with Rafa because I always played against Novak mostly in the semis for years,” he said.
“We had some great finals as well. I look back at the US Open final, the Wimbledon final, the big semi-final match at the French Open when he was on that unbelievable streak.
“It’s a very dynamic rivalry and we don’t need to change our games much playing each other. It’s just tough.” which opposition groups have described as “naive”, while claiming no funding or budget has been revealed.
Crystal Palace hosted the annual British round of the Diamond League series until 2012, when it was relocated to the Olympic Stadium — now West Ham’s London Stadium.
And Williams, who has trained there since 2004, added: “I know we have the London Stadium just around the corner, but this is our real Olympic Stadium. That stadium is just a football stadium now — and look how quickly that happened.
“That stadium was supposed to be a legacy and it didn’t even last until the next Olympic cycle. If that can happen to the Olympic Stadium, what will they do to Crystal Palace?”
Meanwhile, former European and Commonwealth long jump medallist Jade Johnson, who has trained at the venue for over a quarter of a century, said the facilities were too precious to lose.
“Crystal Palace is an amazing place and it just needs the support and investment to bring it to be the place it deserves to be,” she said.
“Everything was taken from Crystal Palace with the arrival of the London Stadium, but what’s the point as we can’t train there? There’s so much that could be done. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to save Crystal Palace.”