WRITTEN FOR TEAM 2012 VISA (March 21st)
She debuted on the senior stage and leapt to the national number one spot all in one winter. Now pole vaulter Holly Bleasdale has her sights on the world age-best record later this summer.
Despite only recently completing her third season, the 19-year-old Blackburn Harrier enjoyed an indoor campaign of jumping from strength to strength, shattering her best marks and shooting up the national record lists with a best height of 4.50 metres.
In addition to this remarkable breakthrough on the senior stage, Bleasdale captured the UK crown and was selected to join Team GB at the European indoor Championships in Paris earlier this month, where she finished a credible 11th in qualifying with a 4.45m mark.
A season to remember for the national junior record-holder, whose glorious start to the year included a 44cm improvement on her previous lifetime best.
She debuted on the senior stage and leapt to the national number one spot all in one winter. Now pole vaulter Holly Bleasdale has her sights on the world age-best record later this summer.
Despite only recently completing her third season, the 19-year-old Blackburn Harrier enjoyed an indoor campaign of jumping from strength to strength, shattering her best marks and shooting up the national record lists with a best height of 4.50 metres.
In addition to this remarkable breakthrough on the senior stage, Bleasdale captured the UK crown and was selected to join Team GB at the European indoor Championships in Paris earlier this month, where she finished a credible 11th in qualifying with a 4.45m mark.
A season to remember for the national junior record-holder, whose glorious start to the year included a 44cm improvement on her previous lifetime best.
“I have really enjoyed this Indoor season - winning the senior trials and getting selected for the Europeans have definitely been major highlights of my pole-vaulting career,” reveals the world junior bronze-medallist.
“I am now looking forward to training hard and hopefully improving my vaulting for the outdoors just as much as I have done in the indoors.
“I have still got lots to improve on and I just need the time to enable me to do this.”
As she has proven before, though, a block of time is not always necessary in order to witness a sharp improvement.
Having only started to train seriously for the event in the autumn of 2008, Bleasdale progressed from 2.80m to an impressive 4.05m leap, which saw her break the national junior record on numerous occasions in her debut season.
A Team GB call-up for the 2009 European junior championships subsequently arrived but an ill-timed broken foot bone put paid to her international aspirations, as she required surgery and six-months out from training.
Fast-forward 12 months and Bleasdale is riding on the crest of a wave following an unprecedented comeback in the sport. After claiming global bronze (with 4.15m) in Canada last summer, she is currently poised to claim the British senior number-one mantel in thrilling fashion this summer.
Now second on the national all-time indoor lists behind Kate Dennison’s 4.60m leap, Bleasdale aims to eclipse her rival’s 4.60m outdoor mark to capture the British record this season and cement her status as the country’s finest.
Coached by Julien Raffalli-Ebezant at SportCity in Manchester, she has the ‘A’ qualifying mark for August’s World Championships (in Deagu, South Korea) and is only a mere 6cm away from breaking two-time Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva’s world age-19 best.
“I feel happy that my season went so well - it makes all the training and hard work I put in throughout the season feel worthwhile when I achieve personal bests and medals at major championships,” says Bleasdale.
“I knew during my winter training that I was feeling fit and strong, so to see the results in competitions is great.
“I stayed focused and positive during my injury and I worked on other weakness in my body such as core strength and upper body strength.
“To be honest, if I could go back I wouldn’t change my injury - it did me good, as it changed the way I thought about athletics and has really helped me.”
After adding two strength-and-conditioning sessions, a gym workout and a gymnastics session to her weekly routine, Bleasdale is in top condition.
Currently on a gap year before beginning her university studies, the former heptathlete has transformed over the winter months into an exciting international contender on the senior scene.
“I knew during my winter training that I was feeling fit and strong, so to see the results in competitions is great.
In 2010, the Lancashire athlete’s best outdoor mark was 4.35m when taking the UK silver medal with a British junior record but she will be expected to jump around 20-30cm higher to make an impact in Daegu.
“My main aims for 2011 are to medal at the European under-23 championships [in Ostrava in July] and to jump a height of 4.56m for the world age-19 record,” Bleasdale reveals.
“I feel this is within my capabilities and it would be an amazing achievement.
“My long-term goals are to compete in all the major championships and the ultimate aim in my career is to get close to five metres and win the Olympics.
“I have a long way to go before I reach this, but I feel aiming high is the key to ensure motivation.”
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Stepping Up
WRITTEN FOR SKYSPORTS (APRIL 8TH)
In an effort to make his mark in the senior ranks this summer, middle-distance man Niall Brooks has increased not only the training load but also his specialism on the track, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 19-year-old European junior 800m runner-up was so encouraged by his 2010 outdoor campaign over two-laps, coming off the back of minimal training, that he has recently switched focus to the metric mile just in time for his senior seasonal debut.
Coached by Norman Poole and training alongside European 800m silver-medallist Michael Rimmer and World 1500m finalist Tom Lancashire in Manchester, Brooks has doubled his mileage this winter and tackled the cross-country season with a view to raising his endurance for the 1500m event and with current success:
“Training’s going very well at the moment,” Brooks revealed.
“Last year, I was only running 35-miles a week and ran my personal best, which showed I have room for development in my speed endurance.
My coach thinks I will be a world-class 1500m runner so we’re starting to change things for that now.”
Successful
If last summer’s achievements were anything to go by, then Brooks should indeed excel this year under a tougher regime.
Britain’s fastest junior at both 800m and 1500m for the past two years, he was also ranked fifth in the latter event on the senior rankings in 2010, which bodes well for the new chapter in his athletic career.
Having registered an impressive 3:38.62 at the Aviva British Grand Prix in Gateshead last July to improve his lifetime best by over three seconds, Brooks additionally shot to second on the national all-time junior list before improving his half-mile mark a fortnight later in Canada.
There, at the World junior Championships, the English under20 800m champion sped to a 1:47.02 personal-best to become the sixth-fastest Briton ever and capped his season with a senior international debut at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, placing fifth in his 800m semi-final last October.
“I was injured last year so to just miss out on a world medal by two-hundredths of a second and make the Commonwealth’s was great – overall, it was a successful summer,” Brooks explained.
Experience
Working full-time at a finance company and studying for a business administration diploma, Brooks is excited to tackle both the new event and senior opposition in the months ahead.
With the key aim of the year to gain the 3:35.0 qualifying time for the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea in August, he intends to begin racing in Europe from May in order to have the time under his belt so as to focus on the global trials later in the year:
“I’m aware in the back of my mind of the need to make a mark for myself again, going into my first year as a senior, but training with Mike and Tom, I don’t see myself miles away from that,” he revealed.
“I’m looking forward to it and I’m feeling excited rather than daunted.
I’ve not yet done many 1500m races so it’s definitely going to be a new experience for me but I’m stepping up the training to cope with the possibility of doing three rounds of the 1500m in a championship.”
With strong aspirations of making both the World and Olympic Games in the next two seasons, Brooks is well aware of the importance of championship experience:
“I want to go to the 2012 Olympics knowing I’ve been stuck in on the world level so I want to reach the semi-final at least this year,” he explained.
“My aim’s to make the 2012 final but the big goal’s a medal in 2016 - the final next year would be a dream result to lead me to Rio four years later.
Competing in a home Olympics is a once in a lifetime opportunity but I’m not getting carried away, as this year’s big for me in order to make a name for myself on the domestic and international stage – I’ll then get more excited if that goes well.”
And after a few smart changes this year, he may indeed be a very happy young man in the long-term.
In an effort to make his mark in the senior ranks this summer, middle-distance man Niall Brooks has increased not only the training load but also his specialism on the track, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 19-year-old European junior 800m runner-up was so encouraged by his 2010 outdoor campaign over two-laps, coming off the back of minimal training, that he has recently switched focus to the metric mile just in time for his senior seasonal debut.
Coached by Norman Poole and training alongside European 800m silver-medallist Michael Rimmer and World 1500m finalist Tom Lancashire in Manchester, Brooks has doubled his mileage this winter and tackled the cross-country season with a view to raising his endurance for the 1500m event and with current success:
“Training’s going very well at the moment,” Brooks revealed.
“Last year, I was only running 35-miles a week and ran my personal best, which showed I have room for development in my speed endurance.
My coach thinks I will be a world-class 1500m runner so we’re starting to change things for that now.”
Successful
If last summer’s achievements were anything to go by, then Brooks should indeed excel this year under a tougher regime.
Britain’s fastest junior at both 800m and 1500m for the past two years, he was also ranked fifth in the latter event on the senior rankings in 2010, which bodes well for the new chapter in his athletic career.
Having registered an impressive 3:38.62 at the Aviva British Grand Prix in Gateshead last July to improve his lifetime best by over three seconds, Brooks additionally shot to second on the national all-time junior list before improving his half-mile mark a fortnight later in Canada.
There, at the World junior Championships, the English under20 800m champion sped to a 1:47.02 personal-best to become the sixth-fastest Briton ever and capped his season with a senior international debut at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, placing fifth in his 800m semi-final last October.
“I was injured last year so to just miss out on a world medal by two-hundredths of a second and make the Commonwealth’s was great – overall, it was a successful summer,” Brooks explained.
Experience
Working full-time at a finance company and studying for a business administration diploma, Brooks is excited to tackle both the new event and senior opposition in the months ahead.
With the key aim of the year to gain the 3:35.0 qualifying time for the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea in August, he intends to begin racing in Europe from May in order to have the time under his belt so as to focus on the global trials later in the year:
“I’m aware in the back of my mind of the need to make a mark for myself again, going into my first year as a senior, but training with Mike and Tom, I don’t see myself miles away from that,” he revealed.
“I’m looking forward to it and I’m feeling excited rather than daunted.
I’ve not yet done many 1500m races so it’s definitely going to be a new experience for me but I’m stepping up the training to cope with the possibility of doing three rounds of the 1500m in a championship.”
With strong aspirations of making both the World and Olympic Games in the next two seasons, Brooks is well aware of the importance of championship experience:
“I want to go to the 2012 Olympics knowing I’ve been stuck in on the world level so I want to reach the semi-final at least this year,” he explained.
“My aim’s to make the 2012 final but the big goal’s a medal in 2016 - the final next year would be a dream result to lead me to Rio four years later.
Competing in a home Olympics is a once in a lifetime opportunity but I’m not getting carried away, as this year’s big for me in order to make a name for myself on the domestic and international stage – I’ll then get more excited if that goes well.”
And after a few smart changes this year, he may indeed be a very happy young man in the long-term.
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Green Shoots
WRITTEN FOR SKYSPORTS (MARCH 31)
He turned down the chance to study in America last autumn to train alongside Britain’s best and now, 400m hurdler Jack Green is reaping the rewards for remaining loyal to his English roots, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 19-year-old from Kent AC chose to join hurdling guru Malcolm Arnold’s training squad in Bath over a journalism scholarship in Nebraska and has since witnessed a dramatic improvement in form.
Training alongside European 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene and Commonwealth fifth-placer Rick Yates, Green shattered his 400m flat lifetime on six occasions during the indoor season and finished the winter as Britain’s sixth-fastest senior.
The start of 2011 was indeed an impressive campaign for the Londoner’s first year in the senior ranks, having clocked a swift 46.91 and finishing fourth in the UK Championships, and the national junior indoor 400m and 400m hurdles champion is now excited about his potential in the countdown to the London Olympics next summer:
“Since moving to Malcolm, I have started training six times a week –I only trained two or three times before and hadn't started weights, and Dai and Rick are really helping me progress,” explained Green.
“I'm really happy with 46.91 when my outdoor personal best is only 47.94.
The (indoor) season was all about me experimenting and now we are addressing my race pacing and things are going in the right direction.”
Breakthrough
A first year sports performance student at Bath University, Green enjoyed a stellar outdoor season last summer to record personal bests in the 200m (21.77) and his specialist event (50.49) – the latter taking him to third on the British under20 all-time list and fifth place at the World junior Championships in Canada.
There, he also anchored Team GB to the 4x400m bronze medals with a storming 45.76 leg to cap off a memorable season.
“2010 was a bit of a breakthrough year - I picked up a world junior medal and ran the fastest split of the championships,” revealed Green.
I'm looking forward to taking that through to outdoors and hopefully make a breakthrough into the senior team in both the hurdles and the relay.”
With British duo Greene and Rhys Williams leading the way in Europe and Green himself ranked only eighth-quickest senior in 2010, the young pretender knows all too well how tough such an aim will be, regardless of his stark improvements:
“The 400m hurdles have really stepped up in the UK and that's a positive for everyone in the event,” he explains.
Experience
Having enjoyed a productive spell of warm-weather training with Arnold’s stable in South Africa at the turn of the year, Green intends to open his outdoor campaign at the British Universities Championships in May before heading to high-altitude for a short stint in Italy.
The plan is to compete as much as possible in Europe to experience the life of a professional athlete and gain some scalps and quick times ahead of his biggest goal of the summer, the European under23 Championships.
Held in Ostrava in July, Green is targeting continental gold and additionally hopes to make the senior squad for the senior World Championships in Daegu, South Korea the following month:
“I really want the experience of a major senior competition before London 2012,” he explained.
“I would love to be there and I will do everything in my power to make sure I am selected and then be in a position to make the final and do myself justice,” Green revealed on his aspirations for the Olympic Games in London next year.
“To walk out in front of a home crowd all cheering for you would be amazing.
My long-term goals are the same as every athlete really - global titles and world records - I don't want to leave the sport thinking I should have achieved more.”
He turned down the chance to study in America last autumn to train alongside Britain’s best and now, 400m hurdler Jack Green is reaping the rewards for remaining loyal to his English roots, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 19-year-old from Kent AC chose to join hurdling guru Malcolm Arnold’s training squad in Bath over a journalism scholarship in Nebraska and has since witnessed a dramatic improvement in form.
Training alongside European 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene and Commonwealth fifth-placer Rick Yates, Green shattered his 400m flat lifetime on six occasions during the indoor season and finished the winter as Britain’s sixth-fastest senior.
The start of 2011 was indeed an impressive campaign for the Londoner’s first year in the senior ranks, having clocked a swift 46.91 and finishing fourth in the UK Championships, and the national junior indoor 400m and 400m hurdles champion is now excited about his potential in the countdown to the London Olympics next summer:
“Since moving to Malcolm, I have started training six times a week –I only trained two or three times before and hadn't started weights, and Dai and Rick are really helping me progress,” explained Green.
“I'm really happy with 46.91 when my outdoor personal best is only 47.94.
The (indoor) season was all about me experimenting and now we are addressing my race pacing and things are going in the right direction.”
Breakthrough
A first year sports performance student at Bath University, Green enjoyed a stellar outdoor season last summer to record personal bests in the 200m (21.77) and his specialist event (50.49) – the latter taking him to third on the British under20 all-time list and fifth place at the World junior Championships in Canada.
There, he also anchored Team GB to the 4x400m bronze medals with a storming 45.76 leg to cap off a memorable season.
“2010 was a bit of a breakthrough year - I picked up a world junior medal and ran the fastest split of the championships,” revealed Green.
I'm looking forward to taking that through to outdoors and hopefully make a breakthrough into the senior team in both the hurdles and the relay.”
With British duo Greene and Rhys Williams leading the way in Europe and Green himself ranked only eighth-quickest senior in 2010, the young pretender knows all too well how tough such an aim will be, regardless of his stark improvements:
“The 400m hurdles have really stepped up in the UK and that's a positive for everyone in the event,” he explains.
Experience
Having enjoyed a productive spell of warm-weather training with Arnold’s stable in South Africa at the turn of the year, Green intends to open his outdoor campaign at the British Universities Championships in May before heading to high-altitude for a short stint in Italy.
The plan is to compete as much as possible in Europe to experience the life of a professional athlete and gain some scalps and quick times ahead of his biggest goal of the summer, the European under23 Championships.
Held in Ostrava in July, Green is targeting continental gold and additionally hopes to make the senior squad for the senior World Championships in Daegu, South Korea the following month:
“I really want the experience of a major senior competition before London 2012,” he explained.
“I would love to be there and I will do everything in my power to make sure I am selected and then be in a position to make the final and do myself justice,” Green revealed on his aspirations for the Olympic Games in London next year.
“To walk out in front of a home crowd all cheering for you would be amazing.
My long-term goals are the same as every athlete really - global titles and world records - I don't want to leave the sport thinking I should have achieved more.”
Friday, 25 March 2011
Buck-ing the Trend
WRITTEN FOR SKYSPORTS
Already established as a key fixture on the GB 4x400m relay squad, Richard Buck finally burst into the spotlight as an individual earlier this month at the European indoor Championships in Paris, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 24-year-old City of York AC athlete stormed to continental 400m bronze in the French capital to capture his first international medal in the event before returning to team duties by anchoring Team GB to 4x400m silver in a magical weekend for the Yorkshire-man.
A seven-time national champion indoors and out over the same number of years, Buck credits his improved form to the fresh collaboration with coaches Kevin Tyler and Steve Fudge at his Loughborough base and offers his thoughts on a breakthrough 2011 indoor campaign:
“It’s all thanks to Kevin and Steve, they’ve changed me and how I run – their attention to detail on and off the track is second to none,” Buck explained.
“I joined them in September after carrying an Achilles injury for most of the summer so I forgot about Delhi (the Commonwealth Games back in October) to have a few injections to recover for the Euro’s.”
Step Forward
Fortunately, the sacrifice paid off in scintillating style as Buck progressed from only second-place in the British trial and third on the national season’s rankings with 46.38 to being crowed third in Europe.
“This season’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride,” revealed Buck.
“It’s been a big learning curve and we got it wrong a couple of times – before, I was worried the training load wasn’t coming off me, though we were confident I’d run well by Paris.
It was fantastic as I got exactly what I wanted - two medals.
The 400m rankings were so close but I’m pretty good at leading the race from early on and I had to ease back on the second lap when past experience allowed me to execute the race well.
It was a strange sensation of mixed emotions as I’d lost the silver I thought I had on the home straight but a medal is still fantastic for me - I’m absolutely delighted, it’s a huge step forward and I’m very happy and proud.”
Adding a second bronze to his collection, Buck is also keen to praise the strength of the relay team which took the same medal colour in the 2009 edition of the event:
“The relay was a little frustrating as it was so close – some teams had some lucky breaks but that’s indoor running,” he explained after running an impressive 46.0 split.
“We were really happy with silver but we know we’re capable of winning.
I’ve always loved being part of the relay squad – we’ve got such fantastic depth what with the four of us, Michael and Martyn (Bingham and Rooney, the European outdoor silver and bronze-medallists) and others – we’re all highly-competitive on the global level and though we’ve missed out on the big medals in previous years, we’re getting back into our grove now.”
Fragile
Renowned as an indoor specialist, Buck sits at 15th on the UK all-time list courtesy of a 46.22 clocking from the 2007 season and is keen to replicate the form he has produced on the boards again this summer.
Having finished only eighth in the British Championships last July, the Leeds Metropolitan University sports coaching graduate is eager to return to the shape which saw him win the 2007 title in 46.13 – which is still his personal-best time to date.
Indeed, by heading off to Italy for a spell of warm-weather training with the UK
Athletics camp in May, Buck hopes to kick-start his summer campaign and finally improve upon his outdoor best.
Recording only 46.23 in an injury-plagued 2010 season, just a few months after collecting the national indoor title, Buck revealed:
“It was unfortunate that my body struggled with the load last year.
With no consistent training, I didn’t get going and wasn’t flowing but I was still pleased to finish the season after tearing my hamstring in 2009.
My coaches are aware I have a fragile frame so they put a lot of time in to ensuring I stay healthy.”
Leap
With Augusts’ World Championships in Daegu, South Korea the big focus of the summer,
Buck is equally aware how tough both the qualifying standard and level of competition for even a berth on the British squad will be.
As the ‘A’ qualifying mark is over half a second faster than his best, Buck is cautiously optimistic on his aspirations for both the global event and next summer’s key goal – the 2012 London Olympics:
“Realistically, I’m going to have to be on my game for the trials to even make the World’s,” he explained.
“I don’t imagine I will make it as an individual this year but I hope to make a big leap forward – the aim’s to make the relay team and we hope to medal.”
And with little under a year and half left to assert himself as an Olympic hopeful,
Buck intends to further progress beyond his new-found international status:
“It’s brilliant we’ve got the Games - I’m a Yorkshire-man who likes to stay at home so it’s good,” he revealed.
“I saw in Paris how the home crowd support really boosts the performances.
I want to make the individual final so I hope to take half a second off this year and again next year – that would be amazing and as far as the relay goes, we want a medal and to cause an upset.
2012’s all I let myself think about – it would be unfair to the fans and everyone if I didn’t give it 110%.”
Already established as a key fixture on the GB 4x400m relay squad, Richard Buck finally burst into the spotlight as an individual earlier this month at the European indoor Championships in Paris, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 24-year-old City of York AC athlete stormed to continental 400m bronze in the French capital to capture his first international medal in the event before returning to team duties by anchoring Team GB to 4x400m silver in a magical weekend for the Yorkshire-man.
A seven-time national champion indoors and out over the same number of years, Buck credits his improved form to the fresh collaboration with coaches Kevin Tyler and Steve Fudge at his Loughborough base and offers his thoughts on a breakthrough 2011 indoor campaign:
“It’s all thanks to Kevin and Steve, they’ve changed me and how I run – their attention to detail on and off the track is second to none,” Buck explained.
“I joined them in September after carrying an Achilles injury for most of the summer so I forgot about Delhi (the Commonwealth Games back in October) to have a few injections to recover for the Euro’s.”
Step Forward
Fortunately, the sacrifice paid off in scintillating style as Buck progressed from only second-place in the British trial and third on the national season’s rankings with 46.38 to being crowed third in Europe.
“This season’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride,” revealed Buck.
“It’s been a big learning curve and we got it wrong a couple of times – before, I was worried the training load wasn’t coming off me, though we were confident I’d run well by Paris.
It was fantastic as I got exactly what I wanted - two medals.
The 400m rankings were so close but I’m pretty good at leading the race from early on and I had to ease back on the second lap when past experience allowed me to execute the race well.
It was a strange sensation of mixed emotions as I’d lost the silver I thought I had on the home straight but a medal is still fantastic for me - I’m absolutely delighted, it’s a huge step forward and I’m very happy and proud.”
Adding a second bronze to his collection, Buck is also keen to praise the strength of the relay team which took the same medal colour in the 2009 edition of the event:
“The relay was a little frustrating as it was so close – some teams had some lucky breaks but that’s indoor running,” he explained after running an impressive 46.0 split.
“We were really happy with silver but we know we’re capable of winning.
I’ve always loved being part of the relay squad – we’ve got such fantastic depth what with the four of us, Michael and Martyn (Bingham and Rooney, the European outdoor silver and bronze-medallists) and others – we’re all highly-competitive on the global level and though we’ve missed out on the big medals in previous years, we’re getting back into our grove now.”
Fragile
Renowned as an indoor specialist, Buck sits at 15th on the UK all-time list courtesy of a 46.22 clocking from the 2007 season and is keen to replicate the form he has produced on the boards again this summer.
Having finished only eighth in the British Championships last July, the Leeds Metropolitan University sports coaching graduate is eager to return to the shape which saw him win the 2007 title in 46.13 – which is still his personal-best time to date.
Indeed, by heading off to Italy for a spell of warm-weather training with the UK
Athletics camp in May, Buck hopes to kick-start his summer campaign and finally improve upon his outdoor best.
Recording only 46.23 in an injury-plagued 2010 season, just a few months after collecting the national indoor title, Buck revealed:
“It was unfortunate that my body struggled with the load last year.
With no consistent training, I didn’t get going and wasn’t flowing but I was still pleased to finish the season after tearing my hamstring in 2009.
My coaches are aware I have a fragile frame so they put a lot of time in to ensuring I stay healthy.”
Leap
With Augusts’ World Championships in Daegu, South Korea the big focus of the summer,
Buck is equally aware how tough both the qualifying standard and level of competition for even a berth on the British squad will be.
As the ‘A’ qualifying mark is over half a second faster than his best, Buck is cautiously optimistic on his aspirations for both the global event and next summer’s key goal – the 2012 London Olympics:
“Realistically, I’m going to have to be on my game for the trials to even make the World’s,” he explained.
“I don’t imagine I will make it as an individual this year but I hope to make a big leap forward – the aim’s to make the relay team and we hope to medal.”
And with little under a year and half left to assert himself as an Olympic hopeful,
Buck intends to further progress beyond his new-found international status:
“It’s brilliant we’ve got the Games - I’m a Yorkshire-man who likes to stay at home so it’s good,” he revealed.
“I saw in Paris how the home crowd support really boosts the performances.
I want to make the individual final so I hope to take half a second off this year and again next year – that would be amazing and as far as the relay goes, we want a medal and to cause an upset.
2012’s all I let myself think about – it would be unfair to the fans and everyone if I didn’t give it 110%.”
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Medal-Miss Jackson
WRITTEN FOR SKYSPORTS
She missed the championship podium on no less than four occasions last year so 800m runner Emma Jackson has been working hard to ensure she grabs the silverware on the track this summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 22-year-old City of Stoke athlete enjoyed a breakthrough 2010 campaign, though her performances were tainted after finishing behind the medals in fourth in the same number of key events.
Based in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Jackson started her promising yet unlucky run of form in the European Team championships for Team GB followed by the European trials and UK championships, the English championships and finally, on her major competition debut as a senior – just outside of the medals again in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last October.
Although slightly disappointed with these performances, the Keele University accountancy graduate had made significant advances, most notably, a second-and-a-half 800m lifetime best mark of 2:00.46 in India to place – you guessed it, fourth on the British senior rankings for the year.
“I got so much confidence from last summer and it was such a big breakthrough,” Jackson explained.
“After Delhi, which I loved so much, I want to go to more major championships. I’ve now got more self-belief and it’s whetted my appetite.
Not getting any medals showed I wasn’t ready mentally but I won’t make that mistake again this year. I know I can’t keep improving at the same rate so I would like to become more consistent around two-minutes and hopefully get under it.”
Excited
Keen to move on from her season of near-misses, Jackson is currently pulling out all the stops to ensure a be-medalled summer lies ahead.
Having recently withdrawn from a teacher training course to become a full-time athlete, the 2007 European junior silver-medallist is already feeling the benefits ahead of a big outdoor season:
“Training’s going really well because having the time to train twice a day makes such a difference,” she revealed.
“It’s a great lifestyle – training, eating, sleeping and I love to travel – I usually run better if I have to go away and I’m feeling quite excited about racing this summer.”
The Staffordshire athlete is currently running around 50-60 miles per week in an effort to build a solid endurance base for the summer and bypassed the indoor season to tackle some cross-country races.
Having finished eighth in the Midland championships, the four-time national age-group champion is next heading off to Portugal in April for a spell of warm-weather training in order to hone her speed before racing again.
Realistic
Mentored by double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes, Jackson will be working on her 800/1500m form in anticipation of another impressive summer.
With times of 56.0 and 4:15.3 for the 400m and 1500m, respectively, the long-striding runner wants to first prove to herself over the metric mile before concentrating on her specialist event from late May onwards:
“The big target’s the World trials and UK championships (in Birmingham) at the end of July,” Jackson revealed.
“I’m hoping I can improve as much as I did last year so the World’s (in Deagu, South Korea in August) could be in my sights.
My event’s so strong so I can never relax – if you’re top three in Britain, you know you can do well in major championships.”
With aspirations of running sub-two-minutes, Jackson remains modest and grounded on her chances of realising her Olympic dream in London next year:
“I’d absolutely love to be there – it would be such an amazing feeling to run in front of your home crowd.
It’s quite exciting as a lot can happen over the next year or so - I’m still really young so I have to be realistic. I’d love to qualify and will give it everything I’ve got.”
One thing for certain in the countdown to summer 2012 though, is that this young woman is definitely now a ‘fourth to be reckoned with’.
She missed the championship podium on no less than four occasions last year so 800m runner Emma Jackson has been working hard to ensure she grabs the silverware on the track this summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 22-year-old City of Stoke athlete enjoyed a breakthrough 2010 campaign, though her performances were tainted after finishing behind the medals in fourth in the same number of key events.
Based in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Jackson started her promising yet unlucky run of form in the European Team championships for Team GB followed by the European trials and UK championships, the English championships and finally, on her major competition debut as a senior – just outside of the medals again in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last October.
Although slightly disappointed with these performances, the Keele University accountancy graduate had made significant advances, most notably, a second-and-a-half 800m lifetime best mark of 2:00.46 in India to place – you guessed it, fourth on the British senior rankings for the year.
“I got so much confidence from last summer and it was such a big breakthrough,” Jackson explained.
“After Delhi, which I loved so much, I want to go to more major championships. I’ve now got more self-belief and it’s whetted my appetite.
Not getting any medals showed I wasn’t ready mentally but I won’t make that mistake again this year. I know I can’t keep improving at the same rate so I would like to become more consistent around two-minutes and hopefully get under it.”
Excited
Keen to move on from her season of near-misses, Jackson is currently pulling out all the stops to ensure a be-medalled summer lies ahead.
Having recently withdrawn from a teacher training course to become a full-time athlete, the 2007 European junior silver-medallist is already feeling the benefits ahead of a big outdoor season:
“Training’s going really well because having the time to train twice a day makes such a difference,” she revealed.
“It’s a great lifestyle – training, eating, sleeping and I love to travel – I usually run better if I have to go away and I’m feeling quite excited about racing this summer.”
The Staffordshire athlete is currently running around 50-60 miles per week in an effort to build a solid endurance base for the summer and bypassed the indoor season to tackle some cross-country races.
Having finished eighth in the Midland championships, the four-time national age-group champion is next heading off to Portugal in April for a spell of warm-weather training in order to hone her speed before racing again.
Realistic
Mentored by double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes, Jackson will be working on her 800/1500m form in anticipation of another impressive summer.
With times of 56.0 and 4:15.3 for the 400m and 1500m, respectively, the long-striding runner wants to first prove to herself over the metric mile before concentrating on her specialist event from late May onwards:
“The big target’s the World trials and UK championships (in Birmingham) at the end of July,” Jackson revealed.
“I’m hoping I can improve as much as I did last year so the World’s (in Deagu, South Korea in August) could be in my sights.
My event’s so strong so I can never relax – if you’re top three in Britain, you know you can do well in major championships.”
With aspirations of running sub-two-minutes, Jackson remains modest and grounded on her chances of realising her Olympic dream in London next year:
“I’d absolutely love to be there – it would be such an amazing feeling to run in front of your home crowd.
It’s quite exciting as a lot can happen over the next year or so - I’m still really young so I have to be realistic. I’d love to qualify and will give it everything I’ve got.”
One thing for certain in the countdown to summer 2012 though, is that this young woman is definitely now a ‘fourth to be reckoned with’.
Friday, 11 March 2011
Hungry for More
WRITTEN FOR SKYSPORTS
After finishing an agonising fourth at the European indoor championships last weekend, 800m runner Andrew Osagie is determined to step in to the limelight this summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 24-year-old from Essex was in the form of his life in the countdown to the continental championships, running an impressive 1:46.59 life-time best and a near-miss of the British 1,000m record but the two-lap specialist just missed out on a medal in Paris with his 1:48.50 clocking.
The performance was a stand-out achievement for the athlete who had never before reached a senior championship final yet Osagie was left hungry for more.
Punching the padded barrier in frustration in the aftermath of the final, the black-belt in karate explained:
“I think most of the people that watched the final could see that I was absolutely gutted as I like to leave it all on the track and do the best I can at the time and I did but it wasn't enough.
This season almost went to plan with the European selection and the personal best times and for these reasons, I can't be too disappointed, however, finishing 4th in the European final leaves me so hungry for the outdoors now.”
Spurred
Guided by Craig Winrow at his St Mary’s University base in London, Osagie, overall enjoyed a superb 2011 indoor campaign.
Starting the season with third-place in the Aviva International in Glasgow, the Harlow AC runner went on to collect second spot at the UK indoor Championships and European trials in Sheffield before speeding to third on the British all-time list for the rarely-run 1,000m with 2:18.56 in Birmingham.
The 2010 UK indoor champion then capitalised on his fine form by recording his fastest ever indoor 800m mark in Stockholm three days later, to shoot to sixth on the national all-time rankings in a season which more than made up for a disappointing summer:
“In 2010, I did have a very positive indoor season after just missing out on the final at the World indoor Championships in Doha but I came away from it with a niggling injury which persisted well into May so my outdoor season was looking a bit hampered,” Osagie revealed.
“I started training and things were going well until I got a stress response in my left foot which was a recurring injury I've had for the last few years.
By the time I was back running again, it was July and deep into the outdoor season so I missed the European outdoor Championships (in Barcelona).
However, I managed to run quick enough to be selected for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India but it seemed to be heartbreak again as I missed out on the final by one place.
This was a very low point for me but the anger of this spurred me on to train hard for 2011.”
Gunning
Despite the below-par, injury-ravaged outdoor season, Osagie managed to register a big 1:46.41 life-time best in Italy in September to place fourth of the 2010 rankings and is looking forward to a bright summer following his encouraging winter.
Living in Teddington with a group of international athletes in a house funded by the Virgin London Marathon, Osagie explained:
“At the moment, I guess there are a group of us who are fighting to be in the top two or three in Britain and the best for years now has been Michael Rimmer who I’m sure will have no problems with me saying I am gunning for him this season as long as I'm in one piece.”
After failing to progress beyond the heats of the 2009 European under23
Championships in Lithuania, Osagie is now evidently a different athlete and such is his rate of progression, he can allow himself to be confident ahead of the 2012 Olympics on home-turf:
“My aims for 2012 are to get there injury free!” he revealed.
“I feel 100% certain that if I don't have any problems between now and then, I will have a good chance of making the Olympic team.
I want to run personal bests every season and just build up my experiences until one day I'm considered one of the best runners in the world - I think that's what every athlete strives for.
I've got my eye on a few times, records and medals but have never wanted to and will never limit myself because anything could happen.”
And with a refreshed hunger for success, the sky certainly is the limit for this promising young athlete.
After finishing an agonising fourth at the European indoor championships last weekend, 800m runner Andrew Osagie is determined to step in to the limelight this summer, writes Nicola Bamford.
The 24-year-old from Essex was in the form of his life in the countdown to the continental championships, running an impressive 1:46.59 life-time best and a near-miss of the British 1,000m record but the two-lap specialist just missed out on a medal in Paris with his 1:48.50 clocking.
The performance was a stand-out achievement for the athlete who had never before reached a senior championship final yet Osagie was left hungry for more.
Punching the padded barrier in frustration in the aftermath of the final, the black-belt in karate explained:
“I think most of the people that watched the final could see that I was absolutely gutted as I like to leave it all on the track and do the best I can at the time and I did but it wasn't enough.
This season almost went to plan with the European selection and the personal best times and for these reasons, I can't be too disappointed, however, finishing 4th in the European final leaves me so hungry for the outdoors now.”
Spurred
Guided by Craig Winrow at his St Mary’s University base in London, Osagie, overall enjoyed a superb 2011 indoor campaign.
Starting the season with third-place in the Aviva International in Glasgow, the Harlow AC runner went on to collect second spot at the UK indoor Championships and European trials in Sheffield before speeding to third on the British all-time list for the rarely-run 1,000m with 2:18.56 in Birmingham.
The 2010 UK indoor champion then capitalised on his fine form by recording his fastest ever indoor 800m mark in Stockholm three days later, to shoot to sixth on the national all-time rankings in a season which more than made up for a disappointing summer:
“In 2010, I did have a very positive indoor season after just missing out on the final at the World indoor Championships in Doha but I came away from it with a niggling injury which persisted well into May so my outdoor season was looking a bit hampered,” Osagie revealed.
“I started training and things were going well until I got a stress response in my left foot which was a recurring injury I've had for the last few years.
By the time I was back running again, it was July and deep into the outdoor season so I missed the European outdoor Championships (in Barcelona).
However, I managed to run quick enough to be selected for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India but it seemed to be heartbreak again as I missed out on the final by one place.
This was a very low point for me but the anger of this spurred me on to train hard for 2011.”
Gunning
Despite the below-par, injury-ravaged outdoor season, Osagie managed to register a big 1:46.41 life-time best in Italy in September to place fourth of the 2010 rankings and is looking forward to a bright summer following his encouraging winter.
Living in Teddington with a group of international athletes in a house funded by the Virgin London Marathon, Osagie explained:
“At the moment, I guess there are a group of us who are fighting to be in the top two or three in Britain and the best for years now has been Michael Rimmer who I’m sure will have no problems with me saying I am gunning for him this season as long as I'm in one piece.”
After failing to progress beyond the heats of the 2009 European under23
Championships in Lithuania, Osagie is now evidently a different athlete and such is his rate of progression, he can allow himself to be confident ahead of the 2012 Olympics on home-turf:
“My aims for 2012 are to get there injury free!” he revealed.
“I feel 100% certain that if I don't have any problems between now and then, I will have a good chance of making the Olympic team.
I want to run personal bests every season and just build up my experiences until one day I'm considered one of the best runners in the world - I think that's what every athlete strives for.
I've got my eye on a few times, records and medals but have never wanted to and will never limit myself because anything could happen.”
And with a refreshed hunger for success, the sky certainly is the limit for this promising young athlete.
Thursday, 10 March 2011
Globe-Trotting Cohen
WRITTEN FOR ATHLETICS WEEKLY MAGAZINE
Series: England Athletics national volunteer award-winners
Services to Officiating – Chris Cohen.
Nicola Bamford profiles the winner of the 2010 Services to Officiating award from the England Athletics national volunteer awards ceremony last autumn.
Chris Cohen was born to be an athletics official. As early as aged nine, he would organise high jump competitions for the children in his neighbourhood, using canes and clothes pegs to hold the bar in place – officiating some might say, is his natural habitat.
A club-level high, long and triple-jumper in his youth, Cohen took his love for the sport into teaching in the early 70’s and taught for over thirty years, such was – and still is – his passion to educate others.
Around the turn of the Millennium, he left the teaching system, explaining:
“I was fortunate to be elected Chairman of English Schools in 2000 but I knew I had come towards the end when the new Head-teacher announced himself to me in the school playground as a former county sprinter whom I had coached while he was at school!”
Well-Travelled
Keen to use his new-found spare time for good, Cohen went onto coach two-time World long-jump champion Fiona May and his most recent accolade is testament to the years of establishing himself as one of the world’s finest, well-travelled officials.
“It was a real surprise to be considered for the (England Athletics) award,” Cohen explained.
His shock confirms the modesty of a man who has achieved so much in a voluntary career spanning more than two decades.
His officiating days took off, quite literally, with a trip to Seoul for the 1988 Paralympics, where he Cohen was asked to educate the officials on how to run the athletics competition:
“I was the only person who knew the rules of all the disabilities so that meant I had to travel out to Korea six months before the Games to teach the three-hundred plus officials,” Cohen revealed.
“I was appointed Technical Delegate for the Games, a task I performed at each of the next five Paralympics.”
Working on the Paralympic stage on five occasions is an honour Cohen understandably holds dear and further emphasising his authority in the field, he was elected Chairman of the International Paralympic Committee – a post he held until retiring after the 2008 Beijing Games.
“This was partly due to the fact that I had been in that position for nearly twenty years but also because we were to stage the next Games in London and I wanted to be involved more closely, which I could not do as an international post holder,” explained Cohen on the forthcoming 2012 extravaganza.
His duties in the post ranged from being responsible for the management of the sport and its technical progress to the staging of wheelchair and disability exhibition events at IAAF World championships and Olympic Games between 1988 and 2007:
“One of the areas that were fairly obvious from the beginning of my time in disability athletics was the lack of knowledge and understanding of both the rules and how to stage competitions, so these were priorities from the outset,” Cohen revealed.
Leading seminars all over the globe and acting as Chairman of the Jury of Appeal as late as 2008 in Beijing, Cohen at the time, combined his efforts with his work in raising standards in UK official’s education, which resulted in him chairing the track and field and endurance Officials’ Education groups:
“Along with a dedicated group of senior officials from all disciplines and all parts of the UK, this has led to a new system of education and training for all our officials, including school and university students who can achieve a Young Officials award,” explained Cohen.
“The next step for this system is to take as much as possible of it online so that candidates can learn at home rather than have to wait until there are courses available for them to attend.”
Enthusiastic
Since retiring from the IPC in 2008, Cohen has been involved in a project for Manchester University’s School of Business as part of their World Academy of Sport through writing an online resource to teach officials around the world the rules of Paralympic athletics.
“I enjoy officiating at all levels of the sport, from helping at my local club, Derby, through to national and international level,” Cohen revealed.
Though when asked to pinpoint his favourite memories, he names watching the men’s World championship long-jump final in Tokyo between Carl Lewis and Mike Powell and Cathy Freeman’s 400m victory in the Sydney 2000 Olympics as his top two.
“I also enjoy officiating at combined events competitions at any level, especially schools events because the athletes are together for the whole day or two days and work together to support one another and, again, enthusiastic officials can make a real difference to the outcome for the athletes,” explained Cohen.
At present, Cohen is a newly-qualified IAAF International Technical Official – a role which he participated in at the World junior championships in Canada last summer - after spending four years as an Area Technical Official for European Athletics:
“As an ATO, I was fortunate to be appointed as Chief ATO at the European Indoor Championships in Turin in 2007 as well as the European Team Championships in Munich,” Cohen revealed.
“In a few weeks time I will be in Paris for the European Indoor Championships as an ATO, have also been appointed as Technical Delegate for the European Youth Olympic festival in Turkey this year and I have just been appointed as the Technical Delegate for the 2014 European Championships in Zurich.”
Honoured with a CBE in the 2010 New Year’s honours list for his work in sport, it is little wonder that this globe-trotting official with such vast expertise, experience and respect, has been recognised by England Athletics – long may his adventures continue.
Series: England Athletics national volunteer award-winners
Services to Officiating – Chris Cohen.
Nicola Bamford profiles the winner of the 2010 Services to Officiating award from the England Athletics national volunteer awards ceremony last autumn.
Chris Cohen was born to be an athletics official. As early as aged nine, he would organise high jump competitions for the children in his neighbourhood, using canes and clothes pegs to hold the bar in place – officiating some might say, is his natural habitat.
A club-level high, long and triple-jumper in his youth, Cohen took his love for the sport into teaching in the early 70’s and taught for over thirty years, such was – and still is – his passion to educate others.
Around the turn of the Millennium, he left the teaching system, explaining:
“I was fortunate to be elected Chairman of English Schools in 2000 but I knew I had come towards the end when the new Head-teacher announced himself to me in the school playground as a former county sprinter whom I had coached while he was at school!”
Well-Travelled
Keen to use his new-found spare time for good, Cohen went onto coach two-time World long-jump champion Fiona May and his most recent accolade is testament to the years of establishing himself as one of the world’s finest, well-travelled officials.
“It was a real surprise to be considered for the (England Athletics) award,” Cohen explained.
His shock confirms the modesty of a man who has achieved so much in a voluntary career spanning more than two decades.
His officiating days took off, quite literally, with a trip to Seoul for the 1988 Paralympics, where he Cohen was asked to educate the officials on how to run the athletics competition:
“I was the only person who knew the rules of all the disabilities so that meant I had to travel out to Korea six months before the Games to teach the three-hundred plus officials,” Cohen revealed.
“I was appointed Technical Delegate for the Games, a task I performed at each of the next five Paralympics.”
Working on the Paralympic stage on five occasions is an honour Cohen understandably holds dear and further emphasising his authority in the field, he was elected Chairman of the International Paralympic Committee – a post he held until retiring after the 2008 Beijing Games.
“This was partly due to the fact that I had been in that position for nearly twenty years but also because we were to stage the next Games in London and I wanted to be involved more closely, which I could not do as an international post holder,” explained Cohen on the forthcoming 2012 extravaganza.
His duties in the post ranged from being responsible for the management of the sport and its technical progress to the staging of wheelchair and disability exhibition events at IAAF World championships and Olympic Games between 1988 and 2007:
“One of the areas that were fairly obvious from the beginning of my time in disability athletics was the lack of knowledge and understanding of both the rules and how to stage competitions, so these were priorities from the outset,” Cohen revealed.
Leading seminars all over the globe and acting as Chairman of the Jury of Appeal as late as 2008 in Beijing, Cohen at the time, combined his efforts with his work in raising standards in UK official’s education, which resulted in him chairing the track and field and endurance Officials’ Education groups:
“Along with a dedicated group of senior officials from all disciplines and all parts of the UK, this has led to a new system of education and training for all our officials, including school and university students who can achieve a Young Officials award,” explained Cohen.
“The next step for this system is to take as much as possible of it online so that candidates can learn at home rather than have to wait until there are courses available for them to attend.”
Enthusiastic
Since retiring from the IPC in 2008, Cohen has been involved in a project for Manchester University’s School of Business as part of their World Academy of Sport through writing an online resource to teach officials around the world the rules of Paralympic athletics.
“I enjoy officiating at all levels of the sport, from helping at my local club, Derby, through to national and international level,” Cohen revealed.
Though when asked to pinpoint his favourite memories, he names watching the men’s World championship long-jump final in Tokyo between Carl Lewis and Mike Powell and Cathy Freeman’s 400m victory in the Sydney 2000 Olympics as his top two.
“I also enjoy officiating at combined events competitions at any level, especially schools events because the athletes are together for the whole day or two days and work together to support one another and, again, enthusiastic officials can make a real difference to the outcome for the athletes,” explained Cohen.
At present, Cohen is a newly-qualified IAAF International Technical Official – a role which he participated in at the World junior championships in Canada last summer - after spending four years as an Area Technical Official for European Athletics:
“As an ATO, I was fortunate to be appointed as Chief ATO at the European Indoor Championships in Turin in 2007 as well as the European Team Championships in Munich,” Cohen revealed.
“In a few weeks time I will be in Paris for the European Indoor Championships as an ATO, have also been appointed as Technical Delegate for the European Youth Olympic festival in Turkey this year and I have just been appointed as the Technical Delegate for the 2014 European Championships in Zurich.”
Honoured with a CBE in the 2010 New Year’s honours list for his work in sport, it is little wonder that this globe-trotting official with such vast expertise, experience and respect, has been recognised by England Athletics – long may his adventures continue.
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