Editing Darlington (section)

=== Athletics ===
[[File:Athletics Track, Eastbourne Leisure Centre (geograph 4429468).jpg|thumb|Eastbourne Leisure Centre's athletics track]]
Darlington's leading athletics club, Darlington Harriers AC, was formed in 1891 and has had a number of successful athletes wearing the club colours as well as competing internationally at Commonwealth, European and Olympic Games (London 1908, London 1948 and Tokyo 1964). The club stemmed from the Darlington Foot Harriers who travelled in packs hunting hares. Some of the key members, including Thomas and Charles Mountford, founded the club which went on to become one of the most notable clubs in the country.    

The club celebrated its 125th year in 2016, with anniversary games held at Eastbourne Sports Complex and was also the first club in the UK to be granted a licence via England Athletics new systems whilst the country was coming out of the COVID19 pandemic.  
  
In 2019, the club was awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Services (QAVS), which was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee. This was previously known as the ''Queen's Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS)''. Equivalent to an MBE, this award (changed to KAVS since [[King Charles III]] came to the throne) is the highest award given to local voluntary groups in the UK. The club was also winner of the 2021 and 2022 Regional England Athletics North East Volunteering ''Club of the Year'' awards. 

In 2015, the club also moved away from the 'D' vest which had been introduced in the late 1970s, moving initially to ''Darlington Harriers'' before a new club logo was introduced in 2018. The new logo shape is the [[DL postcode area]], includes the towns landmarks in Joseph Pease's statue, the town clock and the brick train which represents the town's history in the railway industry.  
The club has also introduced further events to its athletics calendar in recent years, adding to the existing 'Pitstop' 10km race which has been running since 2001. Multi-lap events held at South Park include South Park 10 (mile), South Park 20 were introduced in 2016 and The Marathon Paarlauf in 2022. The athletics track where the club are based at Eastbourne Complex received a make over in 2023 as part of a £1.6&nbsp;million re-design of the complex with a new Blue 8 lane track to match the club colours.  

The other athletics-based event is the Darlington 10km and 3km road run, which is held every August; it attracts around 2,000 competitors and is managed by the local council.

The Dolphin Centre, which provides a wide range of sporting facilities, was opened by [[Roger Bannister]] in 1982. It received a £5&nbsp;million refurbishment in 2006 which was later officially opened by [[Redcar]] athlete [[Tanni Grey-Thompson]].