Dame Denise Lewis, the former Olympic heptathlon champion who was born in West Bromwich (UK) in August 1972, will replace Jason Gardener, a former sprinter, who has held the position since 2015.

Lewis was a double Olympic medallist, winning gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics after taking bronze in Atlanta four years earlier. 

In addition, former world 1,500m silver medallist Hannah England has been appointed vice-president, while other senior positions have been filled by Tony Shiret and Arwel Williams..

Lewis was made a Dame in the New Year Honours for her role as President of the Commonwealth Games England and for services to sport. Her extensive list of achievements includes a prominent role on television as an expert and presenter since her retirement in 2005. As well as her prestigious Olympic medals, the British athlete also won two Commonwealth gold medals, a European gold medal and two world silver medals, earning her a place in the UK Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.

🗞️ @RealDeniseLewis has been elected the new UKA President, while @hannengland will become the Vice President of UK Athletics.

Click below to find out the full results from the UKA Member Elections ⤵️

Leading a financially challenged association won't be an easy task for Lewis and her team. Last week, UK Athletics announced annual losses of £3.7 million ($4.6 million), with this year's London Diamond League alone losing approximately £500,000.

Lewis's new role is largely ceremonial, with UK Athletics Chairman, Ian Beattie, and Chief Executive, Jack Buckner, tasked with improving the organization's financial situation, aiming for breakeven by 2025.

The outgoing president departs after a challenging financial period. The Daily Telegraph reported that a renegotiated deal with sportswear manufacturer Nike helped stave off bankruptcy, and UK Athletics had £6.5 million in cash in the bank as of March 31, which was not reflected in the final balance sheet.

This financial mismatch adds to the ongoing grievances from elite coaches in the past. It's worth noting that they had faced delays in receiving their salaries on several occasions, resorting to selling tickets in advance for the Diamond League at London Stadium to cover ongoing expenses.

The deficit, already substantial in the years 2021-2022 (£1.8 million), has doubled for 2023, despite promises of adjustments and reductions in staff and personnel.

Can the new management steer a ship that was adrift? At least the numbers suggest a challenging task. To achieve this, they must make a significant turnaround, implement severe expense cuts, increase transparency, and forge new relationships to secure financial support from private entities and television rights.