UKA British Athletics International Match - Let's Run With It

This weekend sees Glasgow's newly built Emirates Arena, one of the many venues to be utilised in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, hosting the first major athletics competition of 2013: the British Athletics International Match. But will any of you be watching? Somewhat unheard of, the competition will see many well-known faces competing for the first time since last year's London Olympic Games. Dai Greene (pictured above) will be running the 600m, a significant jump from his outdoor event of the 400m Hurdles, where he will be facing Olympic 800m finalist, Andrew Osagie. The 600m is a rare event and to see two elite athletes at distances shorter and longer than 600m offers the potential for a scintillating race. Amongst GB's other Olympic faces are Robbie Grabarz in the men's High Jump, Holly Bleasedale in the women's Pole Vault, Yamile Aldama in the women's Triple Jump and finally, Perri Shakes-Drayton in the women's 400m Hurdles. Collectively, a talented bunch. The event will be televised on BBC1 between 1.30 - 4.30pm, which, in terms of athletics coverage, is brilliant publicity for the sport. However, it bemuses me how a sport which requires such extensive training and dedication receives such little attention from a country that, only last summer, demonstrated how much we get behind these athletes. We find ourselves retaining that sense of national pride when one of our own sportsmen or women have made the final or semi-final of a major competition, but show so little regard to their whereabouts throughout the rest of the year. It's like only watching and supporting Manchester United if they reach the final of the Champions League or FA Cup. And all they do is pass a ball about, have the ability to rely on 10 other team-mates for 90mins and occasionally whine and moan when a decision doesn't go their way. I feel we need to show more regard for the training athletes go through to make them as good as they are. Furthermore, financially, athletes are paupers in comparison to top-flight footballers, despite being the most physically elite human beings on the entire planet. That, to me, makes no sense. So this Saturday, if you find yourself with a spare few hours in the afternoon, sit back and switch on the telly. It's about time that the effort and commitment shown by athletes is appreciated and time for us, as a nation, to show some support to the athletes who compete and prepare all year round, and not once every 4 years.