This article is updated at the foot of the text
Trackspeed1 stalwart James Ellington began life with coach John Powell aged 13, and went on to become one of the most successful championship medalists through the agegroups of all time in the UK. In 2010 he could just be on the brink of the ultimate breakthrough as a senior.
It's been a while coming, but after a period in the wilderness, James has at last received a call-up to Great Britain seniors, competing in Germany next weekend. After his performance at Loughborough last week (see previous blogs) he is well and truly back on the international sprinting map!
The only thing between him and personal bests over both 100m and 200m at the inter-counties meeting at Bedford tomorrow (30th) and Monday, will be the good old UK weather. Training comrade David Bolarinwa suffered at the hands of a 4.8m/s headwind in winning the South of England title at Ashford today (29th), but was blown backwards to a 11.22s run - one of his slowest for two years.
"We don't want wind or rain at Bedford," said coach John Powell, "but whatever we get we simply have to deal with. James is on awesome form right now, and it's only a matter of time before he puts down a serious lifetime best mark."
The second Trackspeed1 athlete in action at the Ashford meeting was 15-year-old Omari Carr-Miller, the youngest of Powell's protégées. After a winter ravaged by injury, the under-15 national 400m champion successfully progressed to the final after a solid 51.94 run to second place in his under-17 men's heat.
Update from Bedford...
High winds - exactly what coach John Powell was hoping would not be the case - blighted the sprinters at Bedford on the first day of the inter-counties meeting, although this proved to be the least of James Ellington's troubles.
Lining up as the fastest athlete by far in his heat of the 100 metres, Ellington false started and was immediately red carded by officials under the new zero tolerance false-start ruling. He must now wait until tomorrow (31st) when he will contest the 200 metres.
"It was frustrating, but absolutely the right decision within the rules," said John Powell. "James is in great shape, and having a wind like that behind him would have blown him to an exceptional time, but it wasn't to be. I don't think he'll be doing that again in a hurry though, so hopefully it was a learning experience for him!"
Winds at Bedford were measured between plus four and plus six metres per second - a huge aid to sprinters. The secobd day will see both James Ellington and Jason Hussain of the Trackspeed1 squad contest separate 200m competitions.
Meanwhile, in Greece, Dwayne Grant improved vastly from his season's opener in the USA at the beginning of the month with encouraging performances over both sprint distances. He clocked 10.42 (wind +1.2) over 100m, and 21.13 (wind +1.4) over 200m, finishing third in both races.
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