WRITTEN FOR SKYSPORTS
After finishing fourth at the semi-final stage on three occasions and placing in the same position in a final last winter, the past four major international championships have made 800m runner Andrew Osagie determined to make a bigger impact at the Olympics this summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 23-year-old from Essex just missed out on the medals at the European indoor Championships in Paris last March, showing a marked improvement since failing to reach the World indoor and Commonwealth Games outdoor finals a few months earlier in the 2010 season.
Last summer, too, he stepped up a gear to miss out on the World outdoor final in Daegu, South Korea yet the frustrating number ‘four’ seemed to be haunting the London-based athlete on the big stage.
2012, however, is the year in which Osagie intends to reverse his fortunes on the track, for - following a strong spell of altitude training in Kenya – he is looking to sprint into the medals at the World indoor event in Turkey next month, with a longer-term view to success on his Olympic debut in London in August:
“My goal - as will be most of Team GB's athletes - is to get in that final, it would be rude not to!” he explained on his intent in the British capital.
“I've had so many things to worry about day-to-day for any sort of pressure of London to get to me really.
“I just think about enjoying racing where ever, whenever so if that 'where' is London and the 'when' is 2012, I want to be there.”
Encouragement
Guided by Craig Winrow at their St Mary’s University base, Osagie has enjoyed a steep development curve since reducing his times by five seconds in the 2007 season.
His breakthrough came in the summer of 2009 when he reached the heats of the European under23 Championships, before launching himself onto the senior scene with UK indoor gold and as Team GB regular the following year.
A black belt in karate, Osagie’s best year to date started with a 1:46.59 lifetime best indoors in Stockholm twelve months ago, which propelled him to sixth on the British all-time list and to an exciting summer campaign.
Following his capture of the UK outdoor title in Birmingham in July, he registered a fine 1:45.36 personal best in London to improve by over a second from the previous year and end the season as the nation’s number-two behind European silver-medallist Michael Rimmer, before the promising global outdoor debut in Asia.
Osagie revealed his thoughts on the year:
“2011 was mainly positive - the indoor season went well for me, though fourth place was the most frustrating position to finish but I took a lot of experience and encouragement from it.
“I picked up an injury during the spring months which meant I missed eight weeks of running - this was another frustrating period for me because I couldn't do exactly what I wanted to do.
“At the world championships I was happy enough with getting through to the semi-final but it only showed me how close I am getting to where I want to be - coming so close with so much training missed can only mean good things.”
Earn
Spurred on by the disappointments and close-calls in the past, Osagie is looking ahead to the Olympic year with optimism.
He will compete on his ‘favourite’ track at the Aviva Grand Prix indoor event in Birmingham in a fortnight from now, searching for an early twenty-fourth birthday present as well as to maintain his stranglehold on the British number-one position from the past two winters.
After Turkey, though, all focus will be on staying healthy and on London later in the summer:
“Winter training started better than ever again which was promising, however, out in Kenya on a UK Athletics training trip funded by the Virgin London Marathon, I picked up a niggling knee injury due to the uneven ground,” Osagie explained.
“Learning from last season, I have been training in the gym when possible and running is slowly improving now - I'm now looking forward to racing indoors with the possibility of again going to the World Indoor Championships.”
Continuing, he provided his thoughts surrounding the fierce competition even to qualify for the Games:
“I never really go into a season with specific time targets as I don't want to limit myself - I guess the first time target is another Olympic ‘A’ standard and then I would like to be in the shape to run 1:44 by the end of July,” he said.
“The men's 800m in Britain is finally looking stronger but at the same time the event internationally is stronger than it has been in ten years - I finished 2011 as British number-one on merit despite a short season so my aim is to earn that position in 2012.”
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Friday, 27 January 2012
Quest for Redemption
WRITTEN FOR SKYSPORTS
Despite being upgraded to the bronze medal in last years’ global final, the experience was bittersweet for sprint hurdler Andy Turner and so he plans to use the frustrating memory to spur him to an outright medal at the Olympics this summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 31-year-old from Nottingham has just returned from a three-month-long spell of warm-weather training in Florida, where the father of two uprooted his family in order to start his 2012 campaign in fine form.
Key to his progression and his search for redemption in this key Olympic year was the man who he has been training alongside and learning much from – his fierce rival and friend, Olympic bronze-medallist David Oliver.
By joining forces with the American for the past two seasons, Turner believes he has given himself the best shot to achieving his Olympic dream in London this August:
“Winter training has gone really well - training with David was cool and we get on really well and both have kids so while we were training, the kids were playing together,” he explained.
“We train well together and can really help one another - I'm a faster sprinter than him but his hurdles technique is better than mine so we work off each other. I think the three months will have benefited us both.”
Although generally in a positive mood, the London-based athlete admits to suffering from a reoccurrence of an injury which threatened much of his 2011 season:
“My old Achilles issue has come back so I'm due to have another injection that will get rid of the problem,” he revealed.
“I'm satisfied that I'm in decent shape despite this so I’ll run a few minor races over the next few weeks to test where I am them I'm due to go on warm-weather training from early March, which will be when I begin to see things coming together ahead of a pretty important date I've got at an event in London at the beginning of August!”
Consistent
Guided by Lloyd Cowan at the Lee Valley high-performance centre, Turner will compete for Team GB at the Aviva International over the 60m barriers in Glasgow on Saturday after igniting his indoor season with a 7.79 clocking in London a week ago.
With March welcoming the World indoor Championships in Turkey, the seven-time national champion has decided to miss the event in order to focus on his third Olympic appearance:
“After Glasgow, I'm unsure what I'm doing as yet. I'll definitely compete indoors again but the World indoor’s aren't directly on my horizons at the moment - I'd rather finish indoors early and prepare myself for outdoors,” Turner revealed.
With the European and Commonwealth titles – both from the 2010 season – and the 200m outdoor hurdles world-record to his name, Turner is keen to move on from a year of mixed emotions.
Having endured an injury-plagued summer, the Sale Harriers Manchester sprinter was relieved to register a fine 13.22 life-time best in Switzerland in June to go to third on the British all-time lists before taking his first ever global medal, yet his Achilles woes and a groin tear hampered his season significantly:
“My season was very consistent which I was pleased with – the areas I'd been working on in training were being executed well in the race so I was happy and running a PB really showed that all the hard work was beginning to pay off,” Turner explained.
“My main problem was the ongoing Achilles injury but a cortisone injection sorted this and I managed every training session I needed to.”
Surreal
Understandably eager for an injury-free year, Turner will use the memory of his Daegu drama to propel himself to greater achievements in 2012:
“The only part of the world champs I was satisfied with was my heat - I ran 13.32 and it felt so easy and so I wasn't happy with how I ran the semi and the final but I still managed to take home a medal and that is the main thing,” he revealed.
“Being upgraded to bronze was bittersweet - I had accepted fourth place and was content with that although I was disappointed with my time.
“Then to be told someone had been disqualified and I had a medal was a weird moment - I didn't really know how to feel, I just wanted to hide in a room by myself to try to comprehend things, it was a very surreal time.
“With the way that I ran the final, I didn't feel that I deserved a medal so I carried on training the next day and simply treated it like any other race - I just wanted to move on and get straight back into training - I think I have difficulty in comprehending the enormity of things, I still can’t get my head round it.”
What Turner can get his head around, though is the importance of performing to an even higher level in London this summer – especially after finishing last in his heat in Athens in 2004 and fifth at the quarter-final stage in Beijing four years later:
“The 2012 season will be no different to usual - I'm going back to train with David for seven weeks then I'll be off on the European circuit and I'll probably aim for seven or eight races outdoors before the Games,” he explained.
“Obviously, I have to aim high for the Games so I'm targeting a medal. As fantastic as it is for the Games to be in London, I have to just treat it as a normal competition so I'm just keeping my head down and getting on with the most important thing and that's training.
“I'm not worried about the pressure of a 'Home Olympics' - I'm experienced enough now to be able to channel that pressure into something positive and I'm sure that with the fantastic British crowd behind me in London, I can pull out something special and win a medal.”
Despite being upgraded to the bronze medal in last years’ global final, the experience was bittersweet for sprint hurdler Andy Turner and so he plans to use the frustrating memory to spur him to an outright medal at the Olympics this summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 31-year-old from Nottingham has just returned from a three-month-long spell of warm-weather training in Florida, where the father of two uprooted his family in order to start his 2012 campaign in fine form.
Key to his progression and his search for redemption in this key Olympic year was the man who he has been training alongside and learning much from – his fierce rival and friend, Olympic bronze-medallist David Oliver.
By joining forces with the American for the past two seasons, Turner believes he has given himself the best shot to achieving his Olympic dream in London this August:
“Winter training has gone really well - training with David was cool and we get on really well and both have kids so while we were training, the kids were playing together,” he explained.
“We train well together and can really help one another - I'm a faster sprinter than him but his hurdles technique is better than mine so we work off each other. I think the three months will have benefited us both.”
Although generally in a positive mood, the London-based athlete admits to suffering from a reoccurrence of an injury which threatened much of his 2011 season:
“My old Achilles issue has come back so I'm due to have another injection that will get rid of the problem,” he revealed.
“I'm satisfied that I'm in decent shape despite this so I’ll run a few minor races over the next few weeks to test where I am them I'm due to go on warm-weather training from early March, which will be when I begin to see things coming together ahead of a pretty important date I've got at an event in London at the beginning of August!”
Consistent
Guided by Lloyd Cowan at the Lee Valley high-performance centre, Turner will compete for Team GB at the Aviva International over the 60m barriers in Glasgow on Saturday after igniting his indoor season with a 7.79 clocking in London a week ago.
With March welcoming the World indoor Championships in Turkey, the seven-time national champion has decided to miss the event in order to focus on his third Olympic appearance:
“After Glasgow, I'm unsure what I'm doing as yet. I'll definitely compete indoors again but the World indoor’s aren't directly on my horizons at the moment - I'd rather finish indoors early and prepare myself for outdoors,” Turner revealed.
With the European and Commonwealth titles – both from the 2010 season – and the 200m outdoor hurdles world-record to his name, Turner is keen to move on from a year of mixed emotions.
Having endured an injury-plagued summer, the Sale Harriers Manchester sprinter was relieved to register a fine 13.22 life-time best in Switzerland in June to go to third on the British all-time lists before taking his first ever global medal, yet his Achilles woes and a groin tear hampered his season significantly:
“My season was very consistent which I was pleased with – the areas I'd been working on in training were being executed well in the race so I was happy and running a PB really showed that all the hard work was beginning to pay off,” Turner explained.
“My main problem was the ongoing Achilles injury but a cortisone injection sorted this and I managed every training session I needed to.”
Surreal
Understandably eager for an injury-free year, Turner will use the memory of his Daegu drama to propel himself to greater achievements in 2012:
“The only part of the world champs I was satisfied with was my heat - I ran 13.32 and it felt so easy and so I wasn't happy with how I ran the semi and the final but I still managed to take home a medal and that is the main thing,” he revealed.
“Being upgraded to bronze was bittersweet - I had accepted fourth place and was content with that although I was disappointed with my time.
“Then to be told someone had been disqualified and I had a medal was a weird moment - I didn't really know how to feel, I just wanted to hide in a room by myself to try to comprehend things, it was a very surreal time.
“With the way that I ran the final, I didn't feel that I deserved a medal so I carried on training the next day and simply treated it like any other race - I just wanted to move on and get straight back into training - I think I have difficulty in comprehending the enormity of things, I still can’t get my head round it.”
What Turner can get his head around, though is the importance of performing to an even higher level in London this summer – especially after finishing last in his heat in Athens in 2004 and fifth at the quarter-final stage in Beijing four years later:
“The 2012 season will be no different to usual - I'm going back to train with David for seven weeks then I'll be off on the European circuit and I'll probably aim for seven or eight races outdoors before the Games,” he explained.
“Obviously, I have to aim high for the Games so I'm targeting a medal. As fantastic as it is for the Games to be in London, I have to just treat it as a normal competition so I'm just keeping my head down and getting on with the most important thing and that's training.
“I'm not worried about the pressure of a 'Home Olympics' - I'm experienced enough now to be able to channel that pressure into something positive and I'm sure that with the fantastic British crowd behind me in London, I can pull out something special and win a medal.”
Green Shoots for Gold
WRITTEN FOR SKYSPORTS
Inspired by his training partner and namesake’s world title victory last season, one-lap hurdler Jack Green is determined to emerge from the shadows and enjoy his own success on the Olympic stage this summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 20-year-old from Kent is currently nearing the end of a month-long warm-weather training stint in South Africa with coach, Malcolm Arnold and his fiercest foe and friend, global number-one Dai Greene.
Intent on reversing the pecking order in the training group despite finishing fifth in the semi-final stage on his senior championship debut at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea last August, Green insists 2012 is a year of ‘establishing himself’:
“2011 was for experience but in 2012, I want to be on top,” the 400m hurdler declared.
“A lot of people dislike the way I approach things mentally and the confidence I possess, but unless you believe it, you won't achieve it and I know what I'm doing on the track and what I'm capable of so I'm not shy to put myself out there.
“Long-term wise, my aims are simple – to be the best ever - not just in my event but in the sport. Why give yourself boundaries?”
Learning
Such remarkable self-belief evidently derives from plying his trade on a daily basis with hurdles guru, Arnold and with constantly having the global, European and Commonwealth champion there for bait.
Yet Green – who is based in Bath, where he studies Sports Performance at university – finds the pressure a help more than a hindrance:
“Training always has a good atmosphere which can only help us train better,” he explained.
“Myself and Dai are good friends - he's a joker but then is very professional and I'm still learning a lot from him, whereas Malcolm is the enforcer - he's a strong character and I need that.
“I've always had strong characters in my life and I'm very lucky that I have Malcolm coaching me and the rest of the group - I kind of see him like my granddad, I get on very well with him but I wouldn't dare upset him as I'm scared of him really - I'm sure he will love hearing that.”
With certainly no lack of motivation, the European under23 champion is now enjoying his second year in Bath under Malcolm’s tutelage and Green is relishing the shift up in training:
“This winter is very exciting for me as the foundations are there and I can move onto the elite stuff,” he revealed.
“I've been able to start lifting heavy in the gym and I feel more comfortable within myself when I'm training as I'm used to the workload and intensity.”
Progress
Now in his sixth season in the event, Green – whose progression has seen him move from sixteenth to third on the British rankings in the past three years – is targeting a spot on Team GB’s Olympic squad for London this August.
After reducing his lifetime best by a second and a half to a scintillating 48.98 at the Aviva British Grand Prix in Birmingham in July, where he elevated himself to eleventh on the national all-time list, Green is eager to further progress and make his Olympic later this year:
“In April, I go away again with my group before kicking off the season in May and I
cannot wait to see where things are at,” he explained.
“I feel I have made a lot of progress from last year and hopefully that means I can kick off 2012 with a personal best like I did in 2011.
“Last year was a great year for me - I achieved nearly everything I had planned on achieving so I'd say I was content with my season but I'll always want more.
“The European’s were brilliant for me - to have a title next to my name was the plan for the whole season but the World Championships were disappointing - I have high hopes, big dreams and I didn't reach them.”
Determined to give himself another shot at making a final against the world’s finest, Green is intent on joining his training partner in the Olympic 400m hurdles final in London:
“The British 400m hurdlers have really taken off in the past year - there was a time that 49.5 would allow you to become an Olympian but the way things are going, it could be 48.5 and below to make an Olympic team,” he revealed.
“It's great for the athletes, myself and the country - it will bring everyone on and the nation will be able to put their hopes and confidence into whoever is chosen, as they will be able to deliver.”
Inspired by his training partner and namesake’s world title victory last season, one-lap hurdler Jack Green is determined to emerge from the shadows and enjoy his own success on the Olympic stage this summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 20-year-old from Kent is currently nearing the end of a month-long warm-weather training stint in South Africa with coach, Malcolm Arnold and his fiercest foe and friend, global number-one Dai Greene.
Intent on reversing the pecking order in the training group despite finishing fifth in the semi-final stage on his senior championship debut at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea last August, Green insists 2012 is a year of ‘establishing himself’:
“2011 was for experience but in 2012, I want to be on top,” the 400m hurdler declared.
“A lot of people dislike the way I approach things mentally and the confidence I possess, but unless you believe it, you won't achieve it and I know what I'm doing on the track and what I'm capable of so I'm not shy to put myself out there.
“Long-term wise, my aims are simple – to be the best ever - not just in my event but in the sport. Why give yourself boundaries?”
Learning
Such remarkable self-belief evidently derives from plying his trade on a daily basis with hurdles guru, Arnold and with constantly having the global, European and Commonwealth champion there for bait.
Yet Green – who is based in Bath, where he studies Sports Performance at university – finds the pressure a help more than a hindrance:
“Training always has a good atmosphere which can only help us train better,” he explained.
“Myself and Dai are good friends - he's a joker but then is very professional and I'm still learning a lot from him, whereas Malcolm is the enforcer - he's a strong character and I need that.
“I've always had strong characters in my life and I'm very lucky that I have Malcolm coaching me and the rest of the group - I kind of see him like my granddad, I get on very well with him but I wouldn't dare upset him as I'm scared of him really - I'm sure he will love hearing that.”
With certainly no lack of motivation, the European under23 champion is now enjoying his second year in Bath under Malcolm’s tutelage and Green is relishing the shift up in training:
“This winter is very exciting for me as the foundations are there and I can move onto the elite stuff,” he revealed.
“I've been able to start lifting heavy in the gym and I feel more comfortable within myself when I'm training as I'm used to the workload and intensity.”
Progress
Now in his sixth season in the event, Green – whose progression has seen him move from sixteenth to third on the British rankings in the past three years – is targeting a spot on Team GB’s Olympic squad for London this August.
After reducing his lifetime best by a second and a half to a scintillating 48.98 at the Aviva British Grand Prix in Birmingham in July, where he elevated himself to eleventh on the national all-time list, Green is eager to further progress and make his Olympic later this year:
“In April, I go away again with my group before kicking off the season in May and I
cannot wait to see where things are at,” he explained.
“I feel I have made a lot of progress from last year and hopefully that means I can kick off 2012 with a personal best like I did in 2011.
“Last year was a great year for me - I achieved nearly everything I had planned on achieving so I'd say I was content with my season but I'll always want more.
“The European’s were brilliant for me - to have a title next to my name was the plan for the whole season but the World Championships were disappointing - I have high hopes, big dreams and I didn't reach them.”
Determined to give himself another shot at making a final against the world’s finest, Green is intent on joining his training partner in the Olympic 400m hurdles final in London:
“The British 400m hurdlers have really taken off in the past year - there was a time that 49.5 would allow you to become an Olympian but the way things are going, it could be 48.5 and below to make an Olympic team,” he revealed.
“It's great for the athletes, myself and the country - it will bring everyone on and the nation will be able to put their hopes and confidence into whoever is chosen, as they will be able to deliver.”
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Sky-High Ambitions
WRITTEN FOR SKYSPORTS
Welcoming the Olympic year as the second-best pole-vaulter on the world rankings, Holly Bleasdale is relishing what the next eight months could potentially hold for Team GB’s hottest prospect, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 20-year-old Blackburn Harrier began the indoor season in sparkling form when revising her own British record with an impressive 4.71m leap in France last month – a feat which bettered her previous winter’s best by a remarkable 20cm margin.
Currently enjoying a month’s spell of training alongside the men’s European champion Renaud Lavillenie, Bleasdale was overjoyed with her latest accomplishment, which additionally catapulted her to thirteenth position on the global all-time list:
“I thought I would do a test competition to break up my winter training and see if all the hard work was paying off,” she explained.
“The competition for me couldn’t have gone any better - I knew I had been jumping well in training but when I cleared 4.71m off only twelve strides, it was a big step up for me and I know that if I keep training hard then the rest of the season will bring higher heights.”
Coached by Julien-Raffalli-Ebezant at their Manchester base, the Lancashire athlete – who last year turned down the lure of university to devote all of her time to the discipline – is now looking ahead to competing in the World indoor Championships in Turkey in March, where she intends to assert her Olympic credentials for the summer:
“I am looking forward to competing in Turkey and this competition will be a good marker for what I can achieve in the year of the Olympics,” Bleasdale revealed.
“I’ve made a lot of changes again this year - training is more intense and specific to things I need to work on such as improving my technique, lifting heavier and working on fitness.
“This seems to have come on so much since September and I’m really excited for this year - there has been so much hype for the Olympics and it just makes it more and more exciting for me.”
Thrilled
Despite entering only her fourth season in the event, the former heptathlete is certainly comfortable with making fairly regular staggering progressions.
After her breakthrough in 2010 – the year in which she jumped a 30cm lifetime best of 4.35m and grabbed the bronze medal at the World junior Championships – Bleasdale’s star shot higher and higher as she shifted from outside the top-twenty in the UK to being the undisputed number-one.
With shockingly bright potential still undoubtedly being tapped into, the young athlete is quite understandably excited about the future after yet another glorious outdoor campaign last summer:
“My 2011 season went better than expected when I planned my goals at the being of 2011,” she explained of the year in which she improved her personal best on fifteen occasions and made both the European indoor and World outdoor Championships.”
Despite having placed only eleventh in qualifying with 4.45m indoors in Paris last March and failing to register a valid height outdoors in Daegu in August, Bleasdale’s summer was one to remember.
After impressing with a huge 4.70m outdoor lifetime best in Germany in July, which improved her best mark by 9cm, placed her tenth in the world, shot her to nineteenth on the global all-time list and registered as a world age-19 record, she captured the European under23 crown in Ostrava with 4.55m a fortnight later, to boot.
Continuing, Bleasdale said:
“I was so pleased to jump a new British record last year - training went so well in the winter and I knew I could potentially break the record but when I did, I was so delighted and a little shocked.
“My main aim was to come top three in the European U23’s which I exceeded so I was thrilled with that and it was the highlight of my year.
“Everyone may think I was so disappointed with how the World’s turned out and I was at the time, but now I realise that it was a small speed bump in my career and it has made me a much stronger athlete and has given me lots of valuable experience I needed ahead of London 2012.”
Bonus
Holding the national records as a senior indoors and out as well as the UK under23 best mark - all by a margin of 10cm or more - Bleasdale competed in her first competition of the year last weekend in France, with a winning 4.52m display.
Participating again – in Lyon – this weekend, the UK indoor and outdoor champion is set for a tantalising performance in Turkey this spring but she admits to saving her best efforts for the London Games this summer, where she hopes to not only make her Olympic debut but also the pole-vault final:
“My aims for 2012 aren’t clear yet as I have made big improvements in my training and I’m not sure what I am capable of off a full run-up (of sixteen strides),” she revealed.
“I’m going to keep an open mind about what height I can achieve and take every competition as it comes - the height I get will be a surprise to everyone, even me.”
“My sole aim is the Olympics and I will be happy qualifying for the final and whatever happens after that will be a bonus - for a British athlete, coping with the pressure is the main thing and if you can deal with this then you can tackle anything.”
Welcoming the Olympic year as the second-best pole-vaulter on the world rankings, Holly Bleasdale is relishing what the next eight months could potentially hold for Team GB’s hottest prospect, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 20-year-old Blackburn Harrier began the indoor season in sparkling form when revising her own British record with an impressive 4.71m leap in France last month – a feat which bettered her previous winter’s best by a remarkable 20cm margin.
Currently enjoying a month’s spell of training alongside the men’s European champion Renaud Lavillenie, Bleasdale was overjoyed with her latest accomplishment, which additionally catapulted her to thirteenth position on the global all-time list:
“I thought I would do a test competition to break up my winter training and see if all the hard work was paying off,” she explained.
“The competition for me couldn’t have gone any better - I knew I had been jumping well in training but when I cleared 4.71m off only twelve strides, it was a big step up for me and I know that if I keep training hard then the rest of the season will bring higher heights.”
Coached by Julien-Raffalli-Ebezant at their Manchester base, the Lancashire athlete – who last year turned down the lure of university to devote all of her time to the discipline – is now looking ahead to competing in the World indoor Championships in Turkey in March, where she intends to assert her Olympic credentials for the summer:
“I am looking forward to competing in Turkey and this competition will be a good marker for what I can achieve in the year of the Olympics,” Bleasdale revealed.
“I’ve made a lot of changes again this year - training is more intense and specific to things I need to work on such as improving my technique, lifting heavier and working on fitness.
“This seems to have come on so much since September and I’m really excited for this year - there has been so much hype for the Olympics and it just makes it more and more exciting for me.”
Thrilled
Despite entering only her fourth season in the event, the former heptathlete is certainly comfortable with making fairly regular staggering progressions.
After her breakthrough in 2010 – the year in which she jumped a 30cm lifetime best of 4.35m and grabbed the bronze medal at the World junior Championships – Bleasdale’s star shot higher and higher as she shifted from outside the top-twenty in the UK to being the undisputed number-one.
With shockingly bright potential still undoubtedly being tapped into, the young athlete is quite understandably excited about the future after yet another glorious outdoor campaign last summer:
“My 2011 season went better than expected when I planned my goals at the being of 2011,” she explained of the year in which she improved her personal best on fifteen occasions and made both the European indoor and World outdoor Championships.”
Despite having placed only eleventh in qualifying with 4.45m indoors in Paris last March and failing to register a valid height outdoors in Daegu in August, Bleasdale’s summer was one to remember.
After impressing with a huge 4.70m outdoor lifetime best in Germany in July, which improved her best mark by 9cm, placed her tenth in the world, shot her to nineteenth on the global all-time list and registered as a world age-19 record, she captured the European under23 crown in Ostrava with 4.55m a fortnight later, to boot.
Continuing, Bleasdale said:
“I was so pleased to jump a new British record last year - training went so well in the winter and I knew I could potentially break the record but when I did, I was so delighted and a little shocked.
“My main aim was to come top three in the European U23’s which I exceeded so I was thrilled with that and it was the highlight of my year.
“Everyone may think I was so disappointed with how the World’s turned out and I was at the time, but now I realise that it was a small speed bump in my career and it has made me a much stronger athlete and has given me lots of valuable experience I needed ahead of London 2012.”
Bonus
Holding the national records as a senior indoors and out as well as the UK under23 best mark - all by a margin of 10cm or more - Bleasdale competed in her first competition of the year last weekend in France, with a winning 4.52m display.
Participating again – in Lyon – this weekend, the UK indoor and outdoor champion is set for a tantalising performance in Turkey this spring but she admits to saving her best efforts for the London Games this summer, where she hopes to not only make her Olympic debut but also the pole-vault final:
“My aims for 2012 aren’t clear yet as I have made big improvements in my training and I’m not sure what I am capable of off a full run-up (of sixteen strides),” she revealed.
“I’m going to keep an open mind about what height I can achieve and take every competition as it comes - the height I get will be a surprise to everyone, even me.”
“My sole aim is the Olympics and I will be happy qualifying for the final and whatever happens after that will be a bonus - for a British athlete, coping with the pressure is the main thing and if you can deal with this then you can tackle anything.”
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Paving a New Direction
WRITTEN FOR SKYSPORTS
As she enters her fifteenth year as a world-class athlete, long-distance runner Jo Pavey finds her international career at a cross-road – unsure whether her Olympic fate will lead her to either the marathon or 10,000m at the Games in London this summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 38-year-old established herself as a fine exponent over the 26.2-mile distance in 2011, running a swift 2:28.24 on her debut in the London marathon in April but despite lying third on the British rankings in the event, Pavey was controversially omitted from the first wave of Olympic selections last month and now faces a dilemma.
With the official British trial to grab the third and final spot on the team - behind world-record-holder Paula Radcliffe and Mara Yamauchi - incorporated into the capital’s event this spring, the Devon-based runner is torn whether to participate or simply spectate and hope for no British woman to run quicker than her best mark.
The quandary derives from the fact that only fifteen weeks separate the race from the Olympic marathon in early August – leaving questionable recovery time in order to compete amongst the World’s finest.
Guided by her husband and coach, Gavin and mother to two-year-old Jacob, Pavey explained:
“I’m leaving my options open until the spring - I’m not ruling out running the London marathon but I would have less time than ideal to recover for the Olympics if I were selected after the trial.
“I was only just ready to race in the Bupa London 10km (which she won in 32:22 in May ahead of a below-par Radcliffe) after the last London marathon – it was a rushed recovery and we’d be pushed for time this time around.
“The situation I was in was to do my best in New York (where she ran 2:28.42 in November) as I was on the comeback trail from injury in the autumn so I couldn’t race any sooner and on an easier course.”
Fate
Pavey - who originally intended to make her marathon debut in spring of 2009 before falling pregnant – is well aware of her five countrywomen also hoping to impress the British selectors come springtime but the Exeter Harrier refuses to feel the burden
of pressure:
“I’ve got no hard feelings towards Paula and Mara – I don’t want to moan, I’ll just see how things pan out over the next few months in training and accept the position I’m in,” she insisted.
“Although I’m in the third qualifying spot at the moment, I’ll leave it all up to fate - the focus is getting in a high volume of hard training anyway so I don’t feel I’m jeopardising my chances by not having chose my racing path for the summer yet.”
Having competed in the past three Olympic Games – placing twelfth in the 5,000m in Sydney 2000, fifth in the 5,000m in Athens 2004 and twelfth in the 10,000m in Beijing 2008 – Pavey does not fear a potential return to the track, should she need to chase the 10,000m qualifying time in a back-up plan to making her fourth Olympic appearance:
“I’m not complacent as to my chances of selection – there’s so many girls running really well in both events,” she revealed.
“I’ve been racing on the track internationally since 1997 so I’m more experienced on that but there’s possibly only one race to chase the 10,000m qualifying time in early summer.
“My speed’s still there – I’ve not competed in a major track championships since Beijing but I still enjoy it and really wish I could do both.”
Challenge
Having returned from a spell of altitude training in Tenerife in early December, Pavey hopes to contest a half-marathon in March before making her decision on the London marathon ahead of another altitude stint in the mountains of Albuquerque.
The 2007 World 10,000m fourth-placer knows that consistent, solid blocks of training are key to racing well in an Olympic year, yet perhaps not quite as vital as staying injury-free – especially after her summer was ruined by a reoccurring stress fracture:
“I’ve done two marathons now off the back of stress fractures to the left foot,” Pavey explained:
“I’m not prone to them – it’s a mechanical problem as it just got really stiff from the workload and it was really frustrating as I had to withdraw from the World Championships after being diagnosed at the end of June, so it was really pleasing to compete and run so well in New York.”
Approaching 100-miles a week in training now, the 2006 Commonwealth 5,000m silver-medallist revealed:
“Every day’s really busy but we love family life and having Jacob makes me more motivated to run well – the different priorities distract me from the pressures of running so I love the challenge of running and motherhood and also the challenge of a new event to learn and master.”
Currently seventh on the national all-time marathon list, Pavey continued:
“To have the opportunity to compete on home soil in the Olympics would be amazing – I’m really excited and hope I can get there.
“I hope to have another child in the future but the Olympics wouldn’t necessary mean my retirement – I’m still enjoying it so I’ll just keep going.
“I’m fortunate to have been to three Games but I really want to be part of London – it’s keeping me going and I will try my hardest to be there.”
As she enters her fifteenth year as a world-class athlete, long-distance runner Jo Pavey finds her international career at a cross-road – unsure whether her Olympic fate will lead her to either the marathon or 10,000m at the Games in London this summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 38-year-old established herself as a fine exponent over the 26.2-mile distance in 2011, running a swift 2:28.24 on her debut in the London marathon in April but despite lying third on the British rankings in the event, Pavey was controversially omitted from the first wave of Olympic selections last month and now faces a dilemma.
With the official British trial to grab the third and final spot on the team - behind world-record-holder Paula Radcliffe and Mara Yamauchi - incorporated into the capital’s event this spring, the Devon-based runner is torn whether to participate or simply spectate and hope for no British woman to run quicker than her best mark.
The quandary derives from the fact that only fifteen weeks separate the race from the Olympic marathon in early August – leaving questionable recovery time in order to compete amongst the World’s finest.
Guided by her husband and coach, Gavin and mother to two-year-old Jacob, Pavey explained:
“I’m leaving my options open until the spring - I’m not ruling out running the London marathon but I would have less time than ideal to recover for the Olympics if I were selected after the trial.
“I was only just ready to race in the Bupa London 10km (which she won in 32:22 in May ahead of a below-par Radcliffe) after the last London marathon – it was a rushed recovery and we’d be pushed for time this time around.
“The situation I was in was to do my best in New York (where she ran 2:28.42 in November) as I was on the comeback trail from injury in the autumn so I couldn’t race any sooner and on an easier course.”
Fate
Pavey - who originally intended to make her marathon debut in spring of 2009 before falling pregnant – is well aware of her five countrywomen also hoping to impress the British selectors come springtime but the Exeter Harrier refuses to feel the burden
of pressure:
“I’ve got no hard feelings towards Paula and Mara – I don’t want to moan, I’ll just see how things pan out over the next few months in training and accept the position I’m in,” she insisted.
“Although I’m in the third qualifying spot at the moment, I’ll leave it all up to fate - the focus is getting in a high volume of hard training anyway so I don’t feel I’m jeopardising my chances by not having chose my racing path for the summer yet.”
Having competed in the past three Olympic Games – placing twelfth in the 5,000m in Sydney 2000, fifth in the 5,000m in Athens 2004 and twelfth in the 10,000m in Beijing 2008 – Pavey does not fear a potential return to the track, should she need to chase the 10,000m qualifying time in a back-up plan to making her fourth Olympic appearance:
“I’m not complacent as to my chances of selection – there’s so many girls running really well in both events,” she revealed.
“I’ve been racing on the track internationally since 1997 so I’m more experienced on that but there’s possibly only one race to chase the 10,000m qualifying time in early summer.
“My speed’s still there – I’ve not competed in a major track championships since Beijing but I still enjoy it and really wish I could do both.”
Challenge
Having returned from a spell of altitude training in Tenerife in early December, Pavey hopes to contest a half-marathon in March before making her decision on the London marathon ahead of another altitude stint in the mountains of Albuquerque.
The 2007 World 10,000m fourth-placer knows that consistent, solid blocks of training are key to racing well in an Olympic year, yet perhaps not quite as vital as staying injury-free – especially after her summer was ruined by a reoccurring stress fracture:
“I’ve done two marathons now off the back of stress fractures to the left foot,” Pavey explained:
“I’m not prone to them – it’s a mechanical problem as it just got really stiff from the workload and it was really frustrating as I had to withdraw from the World Championships after being diagnosed at the end of June, so it was really pleasing to compete and run so well in New York.”
Approaching 100-miles a week in training now, the 2006 Commonwealth 5,000m silver-medallist revealed:
“Every day’s really busy but we love family life and having Jacob makes me more motivated to run well – the different priorities distract me from the pressures of running so I love the challenge of running and motherhood and also the challenge of a new event to learn and master.”
Currently seventh on the national all-time marathon list, Pavey continued:
“To have the opportunity to compete on home soil in the Olympics would be amazing – I’m really excited and hope I can get there.
“I hope to have another child in the future but the Olympics wouldn’t necessary mean my retirement – I’m still enjoying it so I’ll just keep going.
“I’m fortunate to have been to three Games but I really want to be part of London – it’s keeping me going and I will try my hardest to be there.”
Monday, 5 December 2011
Magical Murray
WRITTEN FOR SKYSPORTS
Despite having missed seven months of competition through injury, Scottish distance-runner Freya Murray has recently bounced back into the international fold as she looks ahead to making her Olympic debut next summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 28-year-old from Edinburgh endured painful Achilles, back and hip troubles in the spring and summer, forcing her to swap her running shoes for gym and pool gear for the majority of 2011 - yet the hard work has evidently bore fruit, as the Chester-le-Street runner last weekend returned to top form in time for Team GB selection.
Placing third in the European cross-country Championship trials in Liverpool, Murray sped back into the national squad with relative ease in only her third races since her injury nightmare.
“I'm really pleased with how things went in Liverpool – it was my first cross country race since winning the Scottish title in February last year so I was trying to keep an open mind on how it might go,” she explained.
Coached by British marathon record-holder Steve Jones - who lives in Colorado, USA – Murray had high hopes for qualification for the continental event later this month after finishing a respectable tenth and ninth in the Bupa Great North and Great South Run in September and October, respectively.
Based in Newcastle and working part-time as a structural engineer, Murray continued:
“My training has been progressing well over the last few weeks as I've been gradually building up my mileage and training intensity but I've had to be patient because I didn't want to end up with any more injury problems!
“I'm really looking forward to the Euro’s - the last time I did it in 2009 I finished 9th so I'd like to finish top ten again,” she revealed on the competition taking place in Slovenia in a fortnights’ time.
Bad Luck
A strong performance in southern-European nation would provide a timely confidence boost for Murray, after enduring such disappointments and frustrations off the back of a highly-successful 2010 campaign.
After claiming the British cross-country title and placing thirty-seventh in the World Championships in Poland, she enjoyed a breakthrough in only her third season focusing on the longer-distances on the track.
Igniting her campaign with an impressive 32:23.44 10,000m lifetime best when finishing sixth in the European Cup in France in June, Murray progressed to win both the Scottish and UK 5,000m titles in July before recording her second personal best of the summer with 15:26.5 for 5,000m in Cardiff in August.
But, arguably her performances of the season came in her major championship debut at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi last October, where Murray finished a fine fifth in the 10,000m before placing seventh in the shorter event four days later.
Following her exploits in India, the diminutive runner capitalised on her form to break her ten-mile road best with 52:27 when finishing runner-up in the Bupa Great South Run in Portsmouth before her catalogue of injury woes struck.
“I was pretty pleased with how things went in 2010 generally - I felt really strong towards the end of the track season and I think I was in really good shape in Delhi,” she revealed.
“I was a bit disappointed with how I raced but overall the experience was amazing and it was my first multi-sport games - hopefully the first of many.”
“Now hopefully my run of bad luck is over!”
Olympic Focus
Looking ahead with a positive attitude, Murray intends to continue her racing schedule after her forthcoming Team GB duties in her hometown at the Bupa Great Edinburgh international cross-country event in the New Year before enjoying a spell of high-altitude training in Kenya:
“The Edinburgh international cross-country is my favourite cross country race as I used to train in Holyrood Park all the time when I was at university and it's always nice to race back in Scotland,” she explained.
“I'm really looking forward to going to Iten, Kenya in January on the UK Athletics training camp - it's the first time I've been on one and I'm sure it'll be a good experience”
The opportunity to train full-time with Britain’s best and in ideal conditions will represent Murray’s best shot, of course, in preparation for the biggest event of all in 2012 – the Olympic Games in London.
Determined to make her Olympic debut on home soil next August, she is well aware of the need to quickly make up for lost time and further improve her efforts on the track:
“Obviously making the Olympics is the big aim for 2012 but I'm trying not to advertise my ambitions too much for it at the moment,” Murray cautiously reveals.
“It is what I am focusing on but I don't want to put added pressure on myself by broadcasting what I hope to achieve – the competition within Britain for places is going to be strong and in some ways that is a good thing - hopefully the competition will make us all stronger.
“I think the qualifying times are achievable if everything goes well over the next few months so hopefully I'll have a better winters’ training than last year.”
Despite having missed seven months of competition through injury, Scottish distance-runner Freya Murray has recently bounced back into the international fold as she looks ahead to making her Olympic debut next summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 28-year-old from Edinburgh endured painful Achilles, back and hip troubles in the spring and summer, forcing her to swap her running shoes for gym and pool gear for the majority of 2011 - yet the hard work has evidently bore fruit, as the Chester-le-Street runner last weekend returned to top form in time for Team GB selection.
Placing third in the European cross-country Championship trials in Liverpool, Murray sped back into the national squad with relative ease in only her third races since her injury nightmare.
“I'm really pleased with how things went in Liverpool – it was my first cross country race since winning the Scottish title in February last year so I was trying to keep an open mind on how it might go,” she explained.
Coached by British marathon record-holder Steve Jones - who lives in Colorado, USA – Murray had high hopes for qualification for the continental event later this month after finishing a respectable tenth and ninth in the Bupa Great North and Great South Run in September and October, respectively.
Based in Newcastle and working part-time as a structural engineer, Murray continued:
“My training has been progressing well over the last few weeks as I've been gradually building up my mileage and training intensity but I've had to be patient because I didn't want to end up with any more injury problems!
“I'm really looking forward to the Euro’s - the last time I did it in 2009 I finished 9th so I'd like to finish top ten again,” she revealed on the competition taking place in Slovenia in a fortnights’ time.
Bad Luck
A strong performance in southern-European nation would provide a timely confidence boost for Murray, after enduring such disappointments and frustrations off the back of a highly-successful 2010 campaign.
After claiming the British cross-country title and placing thirty-seventh in the World Championships in Poland, she enjoyed a breakthrough in only her third season focusing on the longer-distances on the track.
Igniting her campaign with an impressive 32:23.44 10,000m lifetime best when finishing sixth in the European Cup in France in June, Murray progressed to win both the Scottish and UK 5,000m titles in July before recording her second personal best of the summer with 15:26.5 for 5,000m in Cardiff in August.
But, arguably her performances of the season came in her major championship debut at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi last October, where Murray finished a fine fifth in the 10,000m before placing seventh in the shorter event four days later.
Following her exploits in India, the diminutive runner capitalised on her form to break her ten-mile road best with 52:27 when finishing runner-up in the Bupa Great South Run in Portsmouth before her catalogue of injury woes struck.
“I was pretty pleased with how things went in 2010 generally - I felt really strong towards the end of the track season and I think I was in really good shape in Delhi,” she revealed.
“I was a bit disappointed with how I raced but overall the experience was amazing and it was my first multi-sport games - hopefully the first of many.”
“Now hopefully my run of bad luck is over!”
Olympic Focus
Looking ahead with a positive attitude, Murray intends to continue her racing schedule after her forthcoming Team GB duties in her hometown at the Bupa Great Edinburgh international cross-country event in the New Year before enjoying a spell of high-altitude training in Kenya:
“The Edinburgh international cross-country is my favourite cross country race as I used to train in Holyrood Park all the time when I was at university and it's always nice to race back in Scotland,” she explained.
“I'm really looking forward to going to Iten, Kenya in January on the UK Athletics training camp - it's the first time I've been on one and I'm sure it'll be a good experience”
The opportunity to train full-time with Britain’s best and in ideal conditions will represent Murray’s best shot, of course, in preparation for the biggest event of all in 2012 – the Olympic Games in London.
Determined to make her Olympic debut on home soil next August, she is well aware of the need to quickly make up for lost time and further improve her efforts on the track:
“Obviously making the Olympics is the big aim for 2012 but I'm trying not to advertise my ambitions too much for it at the moment,” Murray cautiously reveals.
“It is what I am focusing on but I don't want to put added pressure on myself by broadcasting what I hope to achieve – the competition within Britain for places is going to be strong and in some ways that is a good thing - hopefully the competition will make us all stronger.
“I think the qualifying times are achievable if everything goes well over the next few months so hopefully I'll have a better winters’ training than last year.”
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Steel-ing the Headines
WRITTEN FOR SKYSPORTS
Twelve months ago, Gemma Steel was a relative unknown in British distance running yet after a whirlwind, glittering six-month period, she now has her sights set on the Olympic 10,000m final next summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The Leicestershire runner – who has transformed from a pub cleaner outside the top forty in the country to a full-time athlete and prolific major race winner in the last year – has an eye on the 32:10 Olympic ‘B’ standard for the London Games next August and judging by her recent form, she may just achieve her lofty ambition.
Guided by John Nuttall at the Loughborough University campus, Steel has enjoyed a dramatic breakthrough on the national and international scene of late, culminating in her being shortlisted by European Athletics for the ‘European Athlete of the Month’ award for her October performances.
A member of Charnwood AC and only in her sixth year of serious running, Steel scorched to a 72:21 half-marathon lifetime best to win the Bupa Great Birmingham Run last month and also rank as the fourth-fastest British woman of the year – an astonishing improvement of nearly seven minutes and forty-three places since the 2009 season.
Adding to that the notable scalps of World marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe and 2012 marathon hopeful Jo Pavey in the Bupa London 10,000m and Great Yorkshire Run road races in July and October, respectively, and her season was certain to be declared a major revelation indeed.
“It’s been one good race after another recently - I seem to be on a roll,” Steel modestly explained.
“Obviously, beating Paula and Jo were two great experiences for me and being the fastest at the national road relay championships (in Sutton Coldfield over 4.3km last month) was the icing on the cake for me, as I beat one of my biggest rivals in Charlotte Purdue (the Commonwealth 10,000m fourth-placer) and I don’t consider myself a shorter-distance runner.”
Surprising
Twenty-seventh and fifty-fourth, respectively, in the European and World cross-country Championships on her Team GB debuts last winter, Steel has been shown great versatility over the varying distances and terrains this year, showing fine form over cross-country, 5,000m on the track and 10,000m on the road.
After beginning the year with victory in the Lotto Cross Cup international race in Belgium, she then went on to finish fourth in both the English and British Championships in the mud before turning her attentions to her first love, the road as well as her first serious attempt on the track.
Between April and October, Steel’s finest achievements included placing second in the Bupa Great Ireland Run against a top international field, a twenty-eight second improvement over 10km with 32:48 in London, a forty-seven second personal best over 5km with 16:00 in Norwich in July and winning the Bristol half-marathon in – at the time – a lifetime best of over five minutes.
Such scintillating performances somewhat overshadowed her runs on the track which included reducing her 3,000m best by a minute to 9:29.28 at the Loughborough International in May, a 15:47.21 5,000m debut in the Watford BMC Grand Prix in June and finishing seventh in the Aviva World trials and UK Championships over 5,000m in Birmingham in July.
“I’m surprising myself all the time as I seem to be getting stronger and quicker over all the distances,” Steel revealed.
“I think I’ve improved by targeting different athletes all the time and now it’s Charlotte and Helen Clitheroe (the European indoor 3,000m champion) – I’m taking inspiration from them.
“I’m getting better at shifting up through the gears and I’ve added more volume – I’ve gone from 60 to 75/80 miles per week this year – still only running once a day and it’s suiting me.
Adding that she believes she can run 70-minutes for the half-marathon next year, perhaps in the Reading event in April, Steel continued:
“I train mostly on my own especially now a lot of the Loughborough-based athletes are in Kenya at the minute on the UK Athletics altitude camp but I’m good at motivating myself and training here works for me.”
Fairytale
Fresh from clocking the fastest time at the national cross-country relays in Mansfield last weekend, Steel – who turns 26 on Saturday – intends to give herself a belated present in the form of victory at the UKA McCain Bristol Cross Challenge on Sunday before targeting the European trials in Liverpool a fortnight later.
“I was third in the trials last year and I hope to win it this time – hopefully the European’s will be in similar conditions to here and I hope to do myself justice and make it into the top ten,” she explained on the continental championships in Slovenia next month.
“Then, I’d really like to qualify for the 5,000m at the Olympics but my coach thinks the 10,000m is more realistic,” she revealed.
“I’ve not been racing for too long so I’ll need to work on the psychology to run twenty-five laps in the right way - although I need the experience, I think my strength and speed will help me in the event, maybe the 10,000m will suit me more.
“I’ve not got any pressure on me to qualify for the Olympics as I’m under the radar and I prefer it that way.
“I’ve not got a reputation on the track yet but I hope to change that in the summer – it certainly would be a fairytale to make it after coming from nowhere.”
Twelve months ago, Gemma Steel was a relative unknown in British distance running yet after a whirlwind, glittering six-month period, she now has her sights set on the Olympic 10,000m final next summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The Leicestershire runner – who has transformed from a pub cleaner outside the top forty in the country to a full-time athlete and prolific major race winner in the last year – has an eye on the 32:10 Olympic ‘B’ standard for the London Games next August and judging by her recent form, she may just achieve her lofty ambition.
Guided by John Nuttall at the Loughborough University campus, Steel has enjoyed a dramatic breakthrough on the national and international scene of late, culminating in her being shortlisted by European Athletics for the ‘European Athlete of the Month’ award for her October performances.
A member of Charnwood AC and only in her sixth year of serious running, Steel scorched to a 72:21 half-marathon lifetime best to win the Bupa Great Birmingham Run last month and also rank as the fourth-fastest British woman of the year – an astonishing improvement of nearly seven minutes and forty-three places since the 2009 season.
Adding to that the notable scalps of World marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe and 2012 marathon hopeful Jo Pavey in the Bupa London 10,000m and Great Yorkshire Run road races in July and October, respectively, and her season was certain to be declared a major revelation indeed.
“It’s been one good race after another recently - I seem to be on a roll,” Steel modestly explained.
“Obviously, beating Paula and Jo were two great experiences for me and being the fastest at the national road relay championships (in Sutton Coldfield over 4.3km last month) was the icing on the cake for me, as I beat one of my biggest rivals in Charlotte Purdue (the Commonwealth 10,000m fourth-placer) and I don’t consider myself a shorter-distance runner.”
Surprising
Twenty-seventh and fifty-fourth, respectively, in the European and World cross-country Championships on her Team GB debuts last winter, Steel has been shown great versatility over the varying distances and terrains this year, showing fine form over cross-country, 5,000m on the track and 10,000m on the road.
After beginning the year with victory in the Lotto Cross Cup international race in Belgium, she then went on to finish fourth in both the English and British Championships in the mud before turning her attentions to her first love, the road as well as her first serious attempt on the track.
Between April and October, Steel’s finest achievements included placing second in the Bupa Great Ireland Run against a top international field, a twenty-eight second improvement over 10km with 32:48 in London, a forty-seven second personal best over 5km with 16:00 in Norwich in July and winning the Bristol half-marathon in – at the time – a lifetime best of over five minutes.
Such scintillating performances somewhat overshadowed her runs on the track which included reducing her 3,000m best by a minute to 9:29.28 at the Loughborough International in May, a 15:47.21 5,000m debut in the Watford BMC Grand Prix in June and finishing seventh in the Aviva World trials and UK Championships over 5,000m in Birmingham in July.
“I’m surprising myself all the time as I seem to be getting stronger and quicker over all the distances,” Steel revealed.
“I think I’ve improved by targeting different athletes all the time and now it’s Charlotte and Helen Clitheroe (the European indoor 3,000m champion) – I’m taking inspiration from them.
“I’m getting better at shifting up through the gears and I’ve added more volume – I’ve gone from 60 to 75/80 miles per week this year – still only running once a day and it’s suiting me.
Adding that she believes she can run 70-minutes for the half-marathon next year, perhaps in the Reading event in April, Steel continued:
“I train mostly on my own especially now a lot of the Loughborough-based athletes are in Kenya at the minute on the UK Athletics altitude camp but I’m good at motivating myself and training here works for me.”
Fairytale
Fresh from clocking the fastest time at the national cross-country relays in Mansfield last weekend, Steel – who turns 26 on Saturday – intends to give herself a belated present in the form of victory at the UKA McCain Bristol Cross Challenge on Sunday before targeting the European trials in Liverpool a fortnight later.
“I was third in the trials last year and I hope to win it this time – hopefully the European’s will be in similar conditions to here and I hope to do myself justice and make it into the top ten,” she explained on the continental championships in Slovenia next month.
“Then, I’d really like to qualify for the 5,000m at the Olympics but my coach thinks the 10,000m is more realistic,” she revealed.
“I’ve not been racing for too long so I’ll need to work on the psychology to run twenty-five laps in the right way - although I need the experience, I think my strength and speed will help me in the event, maybe the 10,000m will suit me more.
“I’ve not got any pressure on me to qualify for the Olympics as I’m under the radar and I prefer it that way.
“I’ve not got a reputation on the track yet but I hope to change that in the summer – it certainly would be a fairytale to make it after coming from nowhere.”
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