1978 UK Athletics Championships below also competed at the 1978 AAA Championships. Sonia Lannaman defended her 100 metres/200 metres sprint double from 1977. Allan Wells took his first sprint double on the men's side and Jane Colebrook managed a double in the 400 metres and 800 metres. Athletes to retain their titles from 1977 included Lannaman, sprint hurdlers Berwyn Price and Sharon Colyear, Geoff Capes (men's shot put), Meg Ritchie (women's discus) and Tessa Sanderson (women's javelin). The main international track and field competition for the United Kingdom that year was the 1978 European Athletics Championships. Two athletes at the UK event won individual
Howard Payne (athlete) thrower Rosemary Payne. Howard Payne (athlete) Andrew Howard Payne (17 April 1931 – 1 March 1992) was an English Olympic track and field athlete. He specialised in the hammer throw event during his career. Born in Benoni, Gauteng (South Africa), Payne represented Great Britain in three consecutive Olympic Games, starting in 1964. He previously competed for Southern Rhodesia at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. Payne claimed the gold medal for England in the men's hammer throw event at three consecutive Commonwealth Games in 1962, 1966 and 1970. He died in Birmingham aged 60. Payne was at one time