Dina Asher-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson were tonight nominated for Sports Personality of the Year - as their sport suffered a fresh body blow.
Britain’s two world champions joined a six-strong shortlist, alongside Raheem Sterling, Lewis Hamilton, Ben Stokes and Wales rugby captain Alun Wyn Jones.
Yet athletics’ pride in being the only sport with multi-nominees was tempered by turmoil behind the scenes.
A month after Neil Black quit as performance director of UK Athletics, the governing body has forced newly appointed chief executive Zara Hyde-Peters to stand down.
The move follows claims she allowed her husband to continue coaching athletes despite being banned from teaching.
Chris Clark, chair of UKA, revealed that the matter had been “fully” discussed at a UKA board meeting on Sunday.
He added: “Following the meeting I had time with Zara to review the situation and we have agreed together, that she will now not be taking up her position as CEO on 1st December.”
