John Powell

John Powell is a superintendant with the police force, due to retire next year, serving something like 30 years, but more importantly he is an inspiration to athletes from inner city london. He is one of the top Sprint coaches in the UK, and will no doubt coach athletes who will go to the Olympics. He gives up so much of his time as a volunteer for the athletes, often at no cost to himself, and gives them so much support. He is currently coach to David Bolawinwa, who finished 3rd in the Youth Olympics, and has other successful runners too. He is their mentor, guardian, and takes these kids into his home when they have no where else to stay. Not only this but he set up MetTrack - a police funded programme to get inner city kids off the street and into athletics, keeping them out of trouble, and turning them into sprint stars of tomorrow. I respect him for all his hard work over years in coaching young athletes, and his story would be an inspiration to others. 'often at no cost to himself' should read 'often at huge cost to himself, he having remortgaged his house 4 times in recent years to enable him to travel with and support his athletes!' Met-Track is both police and independently funded.