Revd. Vickers is one of three UK chaplains bound for Germany next week to join with 16 colleagues from around the world. She will have responsibility for athletes from English-speaking nations in the specially designed ‘Oases of Silence’ (one in each official athlete hotel) which are open to all Championship competitors, support staff and volunteers.

The team of 19 chaplains will provide worship and meditation opportunities for people of all faiths and none, with a number of sessions being held at the Berlin Olympic Stadium’s own chapel which opened as part of the facility in 1936. A special service is being held in the Berlin Cathedral on the evening prior to the start of the Championships. 

Revd. Vickers, who has previously worked as a chaplain at the Athens Olympics, is delighted to have been selected for Berlin and is looking forward to being part of a major international event.  

“People come to us for all sorts of reasons, to celebrate and give thanks as well as when they don’t do as well as they hoped,” she said. “Winning and losing brings out all sorts of important questions for athletes about things such as personal identity and their future in the sport.

“As a chaplain I’m there with a religious motivation but our services are available to everyone, whether they have a faith or not.”

Revd Vickers is a part time assistant priest at St Michael’s Church in Andover and has been a sports chaplain at Loughborough University since June last year.

She will join 17 Loughborough athletes at the IAAF World Championships, representing the Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canadian and Irish teams. 

The IAAF World Championships take place in Berlin from 15 - 23 August.