JEROME TRIUMPHS IN ONE-LAP DEBUT

Trackspeed1-UK sprinter Jerome Lule emerged triumphant after his first ever competitive 400 metres in Clermont, Florida, today with a time that was surely a statement of intent for the future!

The 21-year-old Shaftesbury Harrier clocked 50.56 seconds to win his round of the event Stateside, confirming what his coach had been saying the whole trip  that this was to ultimately be his main event!

Cross-winds made the going far from easy, but despite his vast lack of experience over the longer sprint, Lule judged the pace well, and finished strongly to hold off the opposition.

Trackspeed1-UK's Jerome Lule (centre) wins his first ever
400m race in Clermont, clocking 50.56s.

"I was pleased with the way it went," said the athlete after the event, " but  know now I can go well inside 50 seconds.  John told me I ran wide in my lane on the first bend, and it was really hard work with the wind blowing you all over the place."

It was the season's opener for the squad after they pulled out of the earlier meeting at Gainesville.  Sprint times were down, illustrated by the fact that one of the world's fastest men, Tyson Gay, ran only 10.28s, and the visiting German National team couldn't produce anything faster than 10.48.

"The wind was across and hence the readings, plus or minus, couldn't be totally reliable," said John.  I was expecting faster of our guys - my timing isn't that far out, and marks were way faster in our time trials two weeks ago.

"This was only the first meet of the year though, and from that you simply need to learn from your performance what you can, then put it away and move on.  There is zero doubt that there is way more to come from these lads, and they will need to be patient until the season is properly under way."

Reon Gowan-Wade ran his first competitive 200 metres since a young teen, clocking a creditable 22.42 seconds, while James Kasiriye-Sebalu was just outside his best with 22.67s.

Reon Gowan-Wade (2nd from right) on way to a lifetime best 200 metres

In the 100m Brandon Murray was the unluckiest of the bunch with a recorded -2.2m/s headwind, yet he still posted 10.89s.

Brandon Murray (142) clocked 10.89 in the 100m

"Lots to be encouraged by, and some aspects to learn from," concluded John, "which isn't a bad place to be at this stage of the year."

Trackspeed1-UK's pre-season Stateside camp draws to  its conclusion at the end of this next week when all return to the UK to engage with the outdoor season proper.

LIFETIME BESTS SHATTERED IN EARLY TRIALS

Trackspeed1-UK held their own early season time trials today in the Florida sunshine of their pre-season training camp in Clermont -  and every athlete promptly shattered previous best ever marks over 60m, 100m, 200m or 400m  sprints.

It was an impressive day's work which succeeded in kicking well into touch most of head coach John Powell's predictions as previous best recorded marks were rubbished by every member of the squad.

It is true that times were wind assisted, and it is true that all times were unofficial, but even allowing for these variables, performances featured some really good top end sprinting.

Possibly the most impressive was 20-year-old Croydon man, Brandon Murray, who had only ever run over 23 seconds for the 200 metres.  Hence his 20.98 seconds around half a lap was nothing short of stunning.  This after another huge PB of 10.41 in a 100m contest with training partner Cameron Starr.

Brandon Murray smashed PB's over 200m,
100m and 60m in squad trials.

Welsh international, Starr, has been promising much this season with some classy training sessions both back in the UK and more recently Stateside, but even he could not have predicted 10.28s even allowing for the following wind and a possibly marginally generous timekeeper!

Welsh international Cameron Starr hit impressive form
over 100m Stateside.

Next up came 21-year-old Shaftesbury Harrier Jerome Lule.  Assessed for a long time by his coach as a budding 400m athlete, his track record to date was solely over 100m and 200m.  After his first attempt at the one-lap sprint even he had to admit it might be his future with a very solid 50.88 second effort.

Trackspeed1-UK have a pretty impressive set-up this year with 2012 Olympics medical lead John Allen providing physio' support, Mark Stanton strength and conditioning coordination, Alex Starr offering nutrition advice, plus Bukola Woodburne Dyer as massage therapist.  All this alongside the still active international partnerships developed over the years in America and Australia.

"After a period that has seen the squad a little in the wilderness, there are some exciting plans for the future now," said John Powell.  We have a potential set-up that will have alot to offer athletes over the coming season and next winter's training programme."

Meanwhile, back at their Florida base, Daryl Thomas trashed his 2015 200m best of over 23 seconds with a 22.13 second effort, while Reon Gowan-Wade established a solid opening 200m of 21.78 seconds.

"All these times come with a huge health warning," said John, "but they aren't so far out as to say that they weren't all PB's, because they were all so far inside previous best marks.  It was the best possible start to the 2018 outdoor season and a great consolation for not competing at the annual meet in Gainesville where prohibitive entry fees proved a step too far on top of a two and a half hour drive."

Trackspeed1-UK will open their formal competitive programme now at their training base in Clermont where there is an open meeting on Saturday April 28th.

Trackspeed1-UK squad therapist
Bukola Woodburne-Dyer helps Reon
Gowan-Wade on the road to recovery
after the group's trials efforts 

STATESIDE PREP LOOKING CLASSY ALREADY

Trackspeed1-UK athletes are already beginning to produce signs that 2018 could be their year, as they put together some classy training workouts in the United States.

Based at their annual pre-season camp at the National Training Centre (NTC) in Clermont, Florida, the dramatic change in climate from the chaotic British winter seems to have worked already as a strong motivator.

Conditions at the NTC are not even closely matched to the squad's London home at Crystal Palace and, combined with sunshine, 80-degrees, and six-star facilities, their new, albeit temporary, home seems to have proved inspirational.

Trackspeed1-UK Head Coach John Powell reviews one of the squad's
early sessions with sprinter Reon Gowan-Wade

"We don't have the whole squad out here this year," said Head Coach, John Powell, "as trips like this do not come cheap.  We are lucky enough to have four sponsors who are supporting us, or we would still be huddled in a corner of the indoor track at Crystal Palace.

"There is a huge imbalance in our sport now," he continued.  "The elite end of athletics have pretty much whatever they need both financially, in facilities, coaching expertise and support services, and the gap between them and the rest is not getting any smaller.

That said, we are above a huge majority of UK athletes in having this opportunity not only to train here pre-season, but also to learn from the world class company that train here already."

The squad's base in Clermont is home to some of the United States' most accomplished athletes, not least the second fastest man of all time, Tyson Gay.

"That in itself is a huge motivator," added John.  "Today we met the team manager and lead coach from Equador who had a couple of their elite athletes training here, including a London Olympic finalist.  The mutual learning opportunities are amazing.

"We are also exceptionally lucky to have additional expertise as part of our party, not least Dr John Allen, one of the most experienced physiotherapists in the United Kingdom.  Add to that the Strength and Conditioning / Nutrition advice of squad consultant Mark Stanton, and the services of Sports Therapist Bukola Woodburne-Dyer, and it's a pretty impressive set-up this year!"

Reon and training partner Welsh International Cameron Starr
in action during an early session in Clermont.

Trackspeed1-UK athletes open their 2018 outdoor account next Friday 13th April when they travel north to Gainesville for the Tom Jones Memorial meet, held at the University of Florida track - a notoriously fast surface that could see some fast early times produced.