Tom Pollak, our athletics correspondent, is standing down at the end of the year after more than four decades of reporting for the Surrey Comet, and this will be his final full page of athletics.

“It has been a great privilege be able to provide a profile for this sport over so many years,” he said.

“In the early years, track and field meetings were staged on cinder tracks and often cancelled due to rain.

“But, with the arrival of all-weather tracks in the 1970s, meetings are now rarely cancelled due to the weather.

“When I began coverage for this newspaper, the Surrey track and field championships were staged at Motspur Park, built in 1928.

“It was one of the best maintained cinder tracks in the country and was the venue for the film Chariots of Fire.

“In 1999, it was sold to Fulham FC, who now use it as their training ground.

“The championships were last staged on the old cinder track at Motspur Park in 1986.

“Athletics has always been strong in this part of the country, which boasts some of the leading clubs and athletes, including double European champion Mo Farah, Jo Pavey and Steph Twell.

“The development of the sport received another boost with the creation of an endurance training centre at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham.”

Among Pollak’s proudest moments in the sport have been serving as Surrey athletics president in 2009-10 and being presented with an outstanding achievement award in 2009 for voluntary services to sport in Wandsworth.

He added: “I have no doubt athletics will continue to prosper in this area and expect many athletes in this area will be in the London 2012 team.”

Pollak will still be closely involved with the sport as chairman of the Surrey County Athletic Association and a past president of Hercules Wimbledon Athletic Club.