Bunner made his mark by inventing and popularizing the children’s indoor competition, but he was also the president of AAA England.
George Banner, one of the most imaginative, hard-working and influential figures in the history of British athletics, died on November 18 aged 93.
He was famous for creating sports games for children aged 4 to 16 in 1976. It emphasized fun, safety and inclusivity with a modified indoor version of outdoor athletics events, including events such as the long and triple jump, soft javelin and board run, using “at each end of the turn”.
It formed an early introduction to athletics for a number of top athletes such as Denise Lewis, Katharina Johnson-Thompson, Robbie Grabarz, Jade Johnson, Kelly Sotherton and Mark Lewis-Francis, and in the run-up to London 2012 indoor athletics grew under its sponsorship.
However, this was one of Bunner’s innovations. He was always full of ideas, especially regarding competitions for young athletes.
In addition, he was chairman of AAA England during a crucial period from 2004 to 2007 when the long-standing organization saw many of its traditional roles replaced by England Athletics following the infamous Foster Report. After leaving office, his successor, Graham Jessop, said: “George has provided state leadership to the association during a period of great change. The commitment, enthusiasm, vision and energy that George brought to the sport is second to none.”
Born in 1932, Banner was a good teenage runner and as a member of the Liverpool Harriers from 1946, he won the AAA junior 880 yards title in 1950. He became a chartered electrical engineer and managing director of one of the largest electrical contractors in the North West of England.
After the death of his first wife in a car crash in 1968, an accident that also left him seriously injured, he became more involved in athletics in the 1970s, setting up an athletics club in his home town in Cheshire and reviving the Frodsham Hill Races.
Its creation in 1976 was a huge success for athletics and led to the first UK championships being held in 1980. Later, as he was interested in major sports sponsor Aviva at the turn of the millennium, he was also instrumental in bringing the Startrack initiative into the sport.
Subsequent initiatives included the World Marathon Challenge, which spread to 60 countries around the world and was widely covered AW:plus the Tom Pink Relays with teams of kids trying to beat the records of older athletes like Kelly Holmes and Steve Cram.
In total, thousands of young athletes enjoyed their first experience of sport through its young athlete initiatives. Consequently, he was awarded an MBE for services to athletics in 2002 and was inducted into the England Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
Tom McNabb, former national coach and creator of the Five Star Awards, said: “Few men have contributed as much to the development of athletics as George Bunner. His gym has enriched the lives of countless thousands of children here and around the world. It will continue to do so. This was a rich, ongoing testimony to his commitment to life.”
“George will be missed by everyone in England Athletics but we will ensure his legacy lives on so that all young people in England have the chance to enjoy our wonderful sport of running, jumping and hurling.”
