[Not a valid template]Awards under the UK Athletics “Club Futures” programme were presented at the AGM of the Northern Ireland Athletic Federation. Once again North Down AC were “Track Club of the Year” and there were individual awards for Gillian Weir, Claire Scarth and Eddie Wilson.
North Down repeated their 2003 feat of winning Team Trophy – Senior Men, Golden Four – Senior Men and Golden Four – Senior Women and were runners-up in the Team Trophy – Senior Women. A major addition in 2004 was an emphatic win in Division One of the All-Ireland Mazda League.
The Juniors were equally successful with the Boys’ Team winning the Northern Ireland Young Athletes League for the third year running and qualifying for the Birmingham Final. The Girls’ Team were extremely close runners-up. More North Down athletes were in the UK Rankings for 2004 than the rest of the Province combined. There was a full Development Programme including Primary School Sessions, Star Track, Fun in Athletics and Youth Meetings. During the recent Winter season, the girls won the Under 16 and Under 20 Cross Country Championships.
Claire Scarth received the High Performance Coach Award. Claire is the only Northern Ireland-based coach with a Northern Ireland-based athlete who is a senior Great Britain International (Brendan McConville).
Club Secretary and Coach Gillian Weir won the Award for Volunteer of the Year (Track) and former NIAF President Eddie Wilson won the Technical Official of the Year Award (Off Track).
The club has also received a further allocation under the UKA Club Futures 2 Programme to assist in the purchase of a Container at the Sportsplex to store club equipment.