Saturday 29 April 2017

BAKER LAPS IT UP AS PB's CONTINUE TO FALL

Niclas Baker capped the best start to the season of his life with a huge personal best 400m run in the Tom Jones Memorial meeting, in Gainesville, Florida.
Niclas Baker (2272) heads for hime in the 400m Stateside
Despite windy conditions he swept round the University of Florida track to win his heat in 47.05 seconds - almost half a second faster than the lifetime's fastest mark set last year of 47.41s.

It came a fortnight after a very impressive, albeit very windy, 20.89s (+5.9m/s) 200m sprint in Clermont, and sets him up for a great summer season that will see him competing both at home and on European soil.

It was another very solid day at the office for Trackspeed1-UK athletes, most of whom sent existing lifetime best marks into the history books.  Cameron Starr showed the form that has promised on the training track with two of the fastest sprints of his life.
Cameron Starr (2277) on his way to his fastest ever 100m sprint
in Gainesville, Florida
In the 100m, a breeze slightly over the legal limit at 2.7m/s saw him cross the line in 10.69 seconds - his fastest ever recorded time for the event.  Better was to come in the 200m though, when he dismissed his 22.08s best mark for 200m with a 21.87 wind-legal run with the breeze measured at +1.4m/s.

"Cameron's 200m best time was a farce, and will undoubtedly be lowered still further this year," commented coach John Powell, "and his 100m performances will improve as we increasingly shake hands with speed work in training.

"Niclas's performance was little surprise as we have known for some time that he is a serious talent over 400m, and the various components of his race are gradually coming together.

"Athletes always seek instant success at these meetings, and when it doesn't always materialise they panic, but it's only April, and their training programme is not designed to see them peak the minute they hit the track.  There are far more important meetings further own the line in June and July.

"That said, it was very pleasing to see how most of the squad executed their races, with most shaving a little bit off their best times.  Solid runs at this stage are always good for confidence as we return to the UK in a week, and engage with the busy domestic programme as well as some meetings on the continent."

Further lifetime best marks were set by Blackheath and Bromley athlete Ishmael Smith-John, who clocked 22.12s over 200m - his second improvement this year already, while Chaka Maillet shaved a tiny fraction off his 22.56s best with a 22.53s run. Suffering from a sporadic achilles tendon complaint, and having missed much of the pre-camp training, this was a significant performance for him.

Elsewhere, Rhys Francis came to within the thickness of his vest of setting a 100m PB, timing 11.15s against his 11.14 best with a legal wind of +1.8m/s, while Brandon Murray underlined his dramatic improvement 2 weeks earlier with another 10.71s 100m dash, albeit helped by a slightly over-the-limit 2.7m/s breeze.  His previous 10.71 effort had been just legal with a reading off +2.0.
Rhys Francis en route to one of his fastest ever 100m
Finally, David Bolarinwa was far from satisfied with his wind legal 10.57s 100m performance, but as a former multiple Euro-Juniors medalist and with a wealth of international experience behind him, that mark is unlikely to remain in the record books for very long.

"It was a very good day at the office," concluded John Powell, " and as long as the UK weather doesn't misbehave this summer, its looking like a really good season ahead."

Talking tactics!  John Powell discusses race planning  in the hugely
impressive air-conditioned indoor football pitch used on this occasion
as the athlete warm-up area at the University of Florida!

Sunday 16 April 2017

LIFETIME BESTS SHATTERED AGAIN!

Trackspeed1-UK sprinters enjoyed a spectacular opening to their competitive 2017 summer season with several lifetime best marks shattered in a meeting in Clermont, Florida.
Brandon Murray(right) is all smiles as he reflects
on his fastest ever 100m at Clermont, Florida
Nearly all the performances at the meet, held at their training base at the National Triathlon Training Centre, were assisted by a strong breeze but, even ignoring that, several times were well within previous personal bests.

Arguably the leading performance of the day was 19-year-old Brandon Murray.  Having joined the squad 2 years ago with a lifetime's fastest 100 metres of 11.37, he lowered that in 2016 to 11.16, but at Clermont sent that into oblivion with a 10.71 second sprint aided by one of the only legal tail winds of the day measured at 2.0m/s.

It was of course mixed with an element of luck that the wind gauge stopped on the absolute limit for legal times, but it was a performance that easily outshone any other in the 19-year-old South London Harrier's 4-year track career.

It was a close call for the top squad performer of the day though, with Niclas Baker tearing up the home straight to record a sensational 20.89s 200m run, albeit assisted by a mini-gale recorded at 5.9m/s.  It still easily outshone his previous 21.61 best, and was assessed by coach John Powell as potentially faster:
Niclas  Baker on his way to a sensational sub-21-second 200m,
annihilating his previous lifetime best for the distance!
"Nic didn't really get hold of the bend, and only switched on the after-burners in the straight.  It was a very classy run despite the wind, especially as he had run a 48.81 400 meters 3 hours or so earlier," he explained.
It's real!  Confirmation of Nic's super 200m run!
Another Trackspeed1-UK athlete in the form of his life was Cameron Starr, who clocked 10.71s for the 100m aided by a 3.6m/s tail wind - the second fastest time of his life behind his best 10.70, but in the 200m he timed 21.69s to win his heat despite nearly falling 10 strides into the race.  His heat winning time destroyed his previous best of 22.08s, and was another run that was easily inside his best with or without the wind.

Rhys Francis, 18, from Cambridge Harriers, began the day with a 11.14s personal best, but was blown to 10.98s at Clermont with a 4.1m/s tail wind.  In the 200m his form was even better with a 22.92s run, dispelling his previous best 23.59s with a 4.2m/s tail wind.  His 200m was surrounded in controversy though as he finished 2 metres ahead of second place in his race, yet was recorded at the same time as second place.  With the backside clock stopping at 22.8 it is likely his mark was in reality yet faster!
Rhys Francis on his way to a lifetime best 200m
Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier Jerome Lule was knocked for six when news reached him of the tragic passing of his grandmother after arriving in the US, making all the more creditable his focus in training, and eventual personal best 200m at Clermont.

Jerome timed 22.96 with a 3.7m/s tail wind, having started the day with a 23.17s best mark.  John Powell commented:

"Jerome didn't take the news well, but has knuckled down in training to produce some excellent sessions.  Wind or no wind he is clearly in the form of his life, and will doubtless do his Grand Mother proud this summer.
Jerome Lule set a wind-assisted best ever 200m
"Overall I was delighted with everyone's showing at Clermont though.  It was a pity the wind confused results a little, but there is always a bit of pressure around an athlete's opening race.  It has been another long winter and everyone is always anxious to see where they are at on day one."

Trackspeed1-UK return to the same track this week to continue their training programme, with the next competition scheduled for Friday 28th April in Gainesville for the elite Tim Jones Memorial meet.  At least five athletes will compete on a traditionally fast track, with another week of training to follow before the group return to the UK.
Cameron Starr (red shirt) was in the form of his life at Clermont 




Saturday 1 April 2017

TRACKSPEED1-UK OFF TO A FLYER STATESIDE

The annual pre-season training camp in Florida, USA, has seen Trackspeed1-UK athletes flying out of the blocks in their first couple of sessions, while back in the UK there has already been a personal best set on the opening day on the season!
David Bolarinwa and Cameron Starr open up their track training
programme in the Florida sunshine
Working out at their usual training base, the National Triathlon Training Center, in Clermont, Central Florida, early indications are that there could be some impressive performances this year.

The majority of the squad are crossing the Atlantic this year to put the finishing touches to their  summer season preparations, although some are not due to fly until a little later this month.

One of those still in the UK elected to begin his season early this year, and competed in the Herne Hill Open meeting in Tooting, promptly annihilating his personal best over 200m with a fine 22.25s blast with a zero wind reading.  Ishmael Smith-John was all smiles after his run, and was soon receiving many plaudits from across the Atlantic.

"It's ever so early right now," said Trackspeed1-UK Head Coach John Powell, "but if you put down a PB in any of your opening meets, that is always a great morale booster.  Our programme will never peak athletes for April, so hopefully there will be a lot more to come, with Ishmael surely cracking the 22-second barrier this year."

Keep an eye on this blog for further updates from the US, where Trackspeed1-UK will be competing too, in two track meetings later this month.