Croydon Harriers’ veteran coach is closing in on a remarkable late-career feat: collating 100 drawings from top sports stars to compile a book aiming to raise thousands of pounds for charity.
Picture this: Keely Hodgkinson’s picture, donated to Mike Fleet’s charity collection
Mike Fleet, 86, has been a stalwart figure in Croydon athletics for more than 60 years, since before he was a 1962 Empire Games finalist at 880 yards. An ever-present at Croydon Arena on track night, Fleet has coached thousands of youngsters, including helping with the cross-country and track programmes at some of the borough’s biggest schools.
But it was the untimely deaths of two young Croydon Harriers, who died from undiagnosed conditions, that has inspired his latest project, with all proceeds going to the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young, or CRY.
Fleet has so far collected 85 drawings, including some big-name stars such as Olympic gold medal-winners Mo Farah and Keely Hodgkinson, as well as 1964 long jump champion Lynn Davies and former world record-holder Colin Jackson.
Scribbler: Mo Farah winning one of his world titles
“Some of the drawings are absolutely brilliant, some are very funny, some are very simple,” Fleet told the magazine Athletics Weekly, which comes out monthly.
Farah, the winner of six world titles as well as his golden doubles at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics, told Fleet that he couldn’t draw.
But, Fleet says, he still drew a “nice little scribbly Mobot”.
Fleet’s collection dates back to 1936. “One great one I have is from Herb Elliott, he is a great, great hero of mine. He was one of the greatest milers ever, never lost a mile race, had a world record and was an Olympic gold medallist. It was brilliant because he did me a super caricature of himself, as did Allan Wells, the Olympic [100metres] champion in Moscow.”
Fleet’s goal is to collect 100 drawings before compiling the book, which will be auctioned to raise money for CRY.
“I want it to be something that people see as being something worth buying at an auction,” Fleet said.
“I am also hoping to do 25 facsimile books and maybe sell them for £50 each, so the project is just more than one book.
“It would be great if more Olympians could support this very good cause in memory of thousands of athletes and other sportsmen who sadly die of undiagnosed heart conditions.
“CRY carry out research in south London and they monitor groups of athletes, whilst putting heart monitors on them and checking them all over. They also carry out bereavement counselling and advice. It’s such a good cause.”
- To get in touch with Mike Fleet about making a contribution to his sporting artworks collection, contact 07833 456248
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