Golden girl Denise Lewis to join anniversary bash

Lewis heads a list of star-studded athletes who will turn out to mark the special occasion later this year.

The club where Lewis started her glittering career are hosting a glamorous dinner in September to mark the milestone with athletes past and present due to attend.

Lewis, who won heptathlon gold in the 2002 Olympics, will be joined by other famous athletes such as Sonia Lannaman, who won Olympic bronze in the 4x100m relay in Moscow, Jim Auckett and Stephen Pearson.

Aside from her gold in Sydney, Lewis, 44, won bronze in the 1998 games in Atlanta, two silver medals in the World Championships, gold at the European Championships, two golds in the Commonwealth Games and gold and silver in the European Cup.

Other famous athletes to have worn the W&B vest include Don Holliday, Verona Barnard, Maureen Tranter, Rosemary Stirling, Mike Bull, Phil Lewis, Ralph Banthorpe, Kathy Cook and Gary Cook.

Club bosses said it would be great to have former members at the event taking – on September 30 – who could inspire young athletes to bright careers.

Club president Mary Harding, aged 65 from Coven, said: “Having the likes of Denise here and others will most definitely inspire future generations.

“Denise started out with us, and look what she has gone on to achieve. It is fantastic to be holding the event. There will be some big names who turn up.”

Harding has been president of the club for almost 30 years. Before that she represented the club in hammer-throwing.

While W&B is marking its 50th anniversary – its roots go back for more than a century.

A former version of the club was based at Molineux in 1914, where a track was located around the pitch.

A decade later, Wolverhampton Athletics Club was formed in 1924. Then it merged with Penn Harriers in 1943 to form Wolverhampton Harriers before moving to its current home in Aldersley in 1956.

It came to operate under its current name after Bilston was incorporated into Wolverhampton in 1967 in a reorganisation by local government.

This led Wolverhampton Harriers and Bilston Town Athletic Club merging to form Wolverhampton and Bilston Club.

It was once Great Britain’s leading athletics club, winning the men’s National League Division One from 1972 to 1982, and Men’s National Cup final in 1976, 1977, 1979 and 1980.

It also represented Britain in the European Clubs Cup from 1976 to 1983.

The club has a number of upcoming talented athletes who bosses feel could have a successful future.

Hammer-throwing coach Stephen Pearson believes two of those are Phoebe Baggot, 15, and Molly Walsh 17.

Phoebe has previously been a record-breaker during a national tournament involving schools from across the country.

Pearson described them both as having the potential to go onto achieving bright things. Pearson’s son, Benjamin, 23, who has trained at the club, went to the last Commonwealth Games but could not compete due to injury and is still recovering.

Talented teenage sprinter Ellis Greatrex is another one to watch having represented GB at the European Youth Championships.

Pearson, who has competed at international level and represented Great Britain, said he was looking forward to meeting some of the club’s members with whom he used to train.

“I am interested to meet some of the old people I used to train with,” he said.

“I don’t think many people realise now how good we were.”

The day itself will see members meet at Aldersley Stadium before heading off to WV1 bar for the meal.

And a number of W&B athletes will gather at the race track to run a mile in memory of the late commentator and broadcaster David Coleman, who was honorary club president from 1982-93

The dinner will be combined the club’s track and field presentations which will honour the achievements of its athletes across different competitions.