Irene Athletics Club
Our Vision
Our vision is to grow the sport of road running and walking within our community by creating inclusive opportunities for all. We strive to provide our members with a welcoming, healthy environment, supported by engaging activities and quality facilities that make participation enjoyable and accessible. We foster interaction among members, friends, and families, encouraging involvement rather than prescribing activities. For our community, we offer an organized structure where everyone—regardless of age, gender, ability, or goals—can experience road running and walking as a pathway to health and fitness. We partner with local organizations and businesses to strengthen community ties and mutual benefits. For our sponsors, we deliver maximum exposure through well-recognized events, backed by the professionalism and success that define our club.
Our Story
“We started a few years ago...32 years ago” The Irene Athletics Club (IAC), founded in 1994 by ARC employees, quickly grew from 60 members in its first year to around 700, making it the largest club in Gauteng North at the time. Noted for its strong team spirit and high visibility at races, IAC has attracted members without formal recruitment.
History
The Irene Road Running Club was established in 1994 due to the initiative of employees from the Agricultural Research Council Irene Animal Research Institute. Freddie Basson and Sylvia Sutherland did the groundwork in recruiting potential members, enabling the new Irene Road Running Club (IRRC) to qualify for affiliation with Athletics Gauteng North (AGN).
Pieter Sutherland, was approached to take up the responsibility of getting the wheels in motion to officially affiliate a new club with AGN. Affiliation was granted on 1 February 1994. The first founder committee members were selected at the club’s first Annual General Meeting and a Constitution was drawn up at this meeting.
Club activities started with a few very enthusiastic members and the committee and club members designed the club clothing.
The founder committee members were:
Pieter Sutherland - Chairman
Frieda Basson - Secretary
Ian Sutherland - Newsletter Editor
Carl Zwiegelaar - Treasurer
Hannes Viljoen - Club Captain
Ishmael Mashiangako - Additional member
Sylvia Sutherland - Social Member
Gys Vermeulen - Statistician
During the first year of the IRRC existence some 60 members joined the club. Today the membership is in excess of 700.
The design of the attire changed a few times over the years. In 2012 the option of wearing blue shorts was introduced and in 2013 it was decided to do away with the traditional green shorts and to make the blue short official. In 2023 it was decided to change the colour of the shorts to black.
Initially only one discipline (road running) was catered for but over the years other disciplines like road walking, cross country and track & field became part of the activities. After a poll was done amongst members, it was decided at the AGM held on 12 November 2013 to officially change the name of the club to Irene Athletics Club.