Trackspeed 1 - News

TRACKSPEED1 ON THE BRINK OF SPONSORSHIP!

2012-01-28T20:18:00.002Z

Trackspeed1 sprints group, based at Crystal Palace, look poised to become the first British sprints group to land a sponsor.

John Powell declined to say who it was, but did admit to being really excited at the prospect of outside support at last relieving him of single handedly backing his squad.

"It's been tough, and this is the last year I can continue supporting my athletes personally, so the possibility of outside support is fantastic," he said. "Combined with James Ellington's individual sponsor this year, it'a rhe best possible start to 2012 we could have dreamed of."

HUSSAIN A WINNER IN LONDON GAMES!

2012-01-28T18:26:00.002Z

It may not be the biggest event of the year in the Capital, but for now Trackspeed1 sprinter Jason Hussain can look upon himself as a Games Champion in East London - which in 2012 is a pretty positive start to the year!

Jason (one from left) emerges victorious at the London Indoor Games

The 25-year-old Crawley AC speedster soared home to victory in the London Indoor Games today (January 28th) with a 200m time of 22.15s at Lee Valley Athletics Centre. It wasn't his best ever - far from it - and technically it was not one of his better outings - but it produced a win that sends him into the final phase of winter training on a positive note.

"I've had a week out with flu, and before that had a ten-day layoff with a hamstring problem, and have only been back training a fortnight, so I'll take that," he said after the race. His time is equivalent to performances a year ago when he was in better shape, and 2011 saw him end the summer with the fastest time of his life over the same distance outdoors!

"I have told my lot they can do what they like in January, but from next week we are back into winter training," said coach John Powell. "As I've said many times - everything is much earlier this year because of the Olympics, and I for one am not going to be caught out with athletes lacking endurance in what will be the biggest year for track and field in UK history!"

In the same meeting, Trackspeed1 under-20 Omardo Anson proved to be the second fastest in the meeting as a junior, recording 22.80s in his race, despite sensing a tight hamstring half way round.

Omardo Anson is at his marks and ready to roll toward what was the
second fastest 200m mark by a junior at the London Indoor Games

"I couldn't open up properly on the back straight," he said afterwards, "and I didn't really attack the last bend as a result, but it was an ok run. I ran 22.3 last year outdoors, so it's at least as good as that. Running injury-free, I really hope this year will see a sub-22s run."

Omardo's success gave his coach extra satisfaction as an athlete recruited from his Met-Track scheme 18 months ago continues to progress in the sport.

"I have seen Omardo mature as a person as well as progress as an athlete," said John, "and that is massive job satisfaction for me."

Day two of the Games could see the action step up as James Ellington takes to the boards once more with the 60m tomorrow (Sunday 29th), along with Trackspeed1 sprinters Alex Ojo, David Bolarinwa, Kieran Daly, and others.

Jason Hussain is set to go at Lee Valley!

ELLINGTON IN THE FORM OF HIS LIFE

2012-01-23T09:31:00.000Z

James Ellington ended an amazing week on Sunday with four top class runs as he opened his brief indoor campaign at Lee Valley Athletics Centre, London.

James with his South of England bronze medal at Lee Valley

Competing in the South Of England Championships, he posted four performances underlining that, even at this early stage in 2012, he is in the form of his life. In the semi-finals he ran 6.69s - equal to his lifetime fastest over 60 metres - before going on to cement that with 6.70s in the final to take joint third and a bronze medal.

The competition opened with a first round win in 7.03s run in a style so relaxed that both athlete and his coach John Powell drew breath at the ease with which he decimated the rest of the field. The second round was significantly faster with a 6.77s run winning that race too, with the series amounting to the best opening to an indoor season of his life.

Earlier in the week, James had been celebrating landing sponsor King of Shaves after the publicity around his attempt at attracting support through E-Bay stalled, and had again been the centre of significant worldwide media attention.

"James has had one hell of a week," said John Powell after the Lee Valley event. "His interviews have been beamed all over the globe after a totally innovative approach to getting support through E-Bay. He now has his sponsor and he is already justifying their support in showing world class potential at Lee valley.

"The guys he was running against had mostly been running indoors already and had already been posting some impressive times. this was James's first outing, and to be rubbing shoulders with his personal best first time out is simply astounding."

Training colleagues of James in his Trackspeed1 squad were mostly all in action at the same meeting with mixed fortunes. Outstanding individual of the day though was 19-year-old Kieran Daley, who ran a lifetime's best 60m of 6.96s - shaving over a tenth of a second off his best time of the 2011 indoor campaign.

Andrew Matthews enjoyed an encouraging opening to his season with first and second round 6.95s and 6.87s runs, but earned a roasting from his coach as he pulled up in the last 10 metres of the semi as he slipped out of the top two qualifying places!

Another athlete who was given the benefit of his coach's advice was David Bolarinwa, whose heat performance of 6.91s looked very impressive indeed. But in the second round, he false started and was immediately disqualified.

"There were aspects of his heat performance which, combined with a false start, which is unacceptable from an experienced international, that I felt were learning opportunities. He's competing again at the same venue on Sunday in the London Indoor games, and I suspect things will be rather different there!"

ELLINGTON SUCCEEDS BY HIS WHISKERS!

2012-01-20T09:53:00.001Z

James gets the expert treatment from new sponsors 'King of Shaves, with
CEO and Founder, Will King, giving a quick demonstration!

Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington's attempts at auctioning himself on E-Bay in a desperate bid to secure sponsorship failed - but at the last minute, shaving products conglomerate King of Shaves came to the rescue.

The bid of well over the reserve price on E-Bay was revealed to be someone from overseas who misunderstood the process, and they withdrew, leaving James back at square one. But then came the sponsor who had for several years supported former Trackspeed1 sprinter and World Junior Championship 100m finalist Wade Bennett-Jackson.

James's story has been well documented in the media and has attracted world-wide interest. Channel 4 News compiled the report which can be seen at Olympics hopeful Ellington's close shave after ebay bid
www.channel4.com

Will King, CEO and founder of King of Shaves was delighted to support James, and was at the initial press launch of the deal at Crystal Palace track. All sorts of corny photo's and remarks were bandered about, but the widest smile was from the athlete who can now properly concentrate on preparing for what will be a massive year in an already illustrious career.

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell watched the launch and spoke to Channel 4, along with a Reuters crew a couple of days later:

"I am truly delighted for James, I really am," he said, "this deal has been a real life-shaver... sorry, saver!! In all seriousness it takes the pressure right off an athlete's shoulders. Always looking back at a depleting or near-empty bank balance, wondering where the money will come from to support travel, kit, equipment, you name it. At least for this year, James has none of those worries to contend with.

"We are exceptionally lucky in Trackspeed1 as we have a huge amount of good will from top therapists, Adidas who provide heavily discounted kit, and other sources who want to support us at home and abroad. But bottom line if you want to compete with the best, you have to be fully supported."

Meanwhile back at the office, James opened up his active 2012 account in a slightly different way than usual, competing in the South of England AA indoor 400m at Lee Valley last Sunday (15th). His 49.93s for the 2-lap sprint was an encouragement to his coach, although the semi-final saw him run out of steam on the final run-in.

"We aren't taking indoors particularly seriously this year, and most are only competing in January before getting back to a month or so of basics," he explained. "Everything is early this year with Olympic Trials in June, so we have to make sure there is enough gas in the tank to sustain peaks at the right time this summer."

Further pictures from the press launch follow...

James partners CEO Will King for his photo-shoot and press interviews, with mother Andrea joining him for a chat with Channel 4.

POWELL TO CARRY OLYMPIC TORCH

2011-12-13T09:27:00.001Z

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell will carry the Olympic Torch

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell rounded off an amazing week last week as he learned that he had been provisionally awarded a leg in the Olympic Torch Relay.

John was one of the first 29 people to be notified of what will be a huge honour - to become one of the 8000 people in the UK to see the Olympic Flame safely around its journey to the Olympic Park.

John's leg will be on Monday 23rd July somewhere between Lewisham and Wandsworth, South London. Talkiong about his nomination at the weekend, John confessd to have been nkocked for six when he received the email:

"I couldn't believe it," he said, "I knew I had been short-listed, but the odds were given as something like one in 16, so I had actually forgotten about the whole thing. When I got the email I had to read it twice to actually take it in.

"It's amazing - to be part of something so massive as the London Olympics as a Torch Bearer is something for the family album, the grand-kids, you name it. It will be an experience I will never forget, I am sure."

Croydon Physiotherapist Tim Allardyce nominated John in the first place - unbeknown to the 53-year-old sprits coach - citing John's suport for athletes over the years, set against the background of his full-time career as a senior London cop, and potential fatal illness some 20 years ago. Tim said:

"I nominated John for dedicating his life into developing some of the top sprinters in the UK. He gives an enormous amount of time to these London-based athletes, and this gives them huge opportunities to succeed in life, let alone on the track."

"Tim is a first class physio' who has been helping my athletes ever since he set up in business in Addington," said John, "and I'm not just saying that because of all this. He has rehabilitated many injuries over the years, and even part-sponsored European Junior 200m Champion David Bolarinwa last year".

Visit Tim's website at www.croydonphysio.co.uk

JOHN POWELL GAINS FIRST EVER ATHLETICS AWARD

2011-12-09T07:56:00.001Z

John Powell received his 'Services to Coaching award at London's
City Hall last night (8th December) from Tony Shiret

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell may have been coaching since the age of 17, some 35 years ago, but offficial recognition of his commitment to the sport he has served for over 3 decades has, incredibly, evaded him - until now.

In City Hall, London, last night, John picked up the 2011 'Services to Coaching' award presented by England Athletics / London Region, for his outstanding achievements during 2011 and before.

The ceremony, held in the iconic venue overlooking Tower Bridge, acknowledged John's exceptional contribution to literally hundreds of young and senior sportsmen and women across well over three decades.

The award was presented by Tony Shiret, of England Athletics, after a long citation was read detailing John's commitment to the sport, but most importantly the athletes he has coached.

Organising trips abroad, coordinating multi-event training schedules, networking with coaches all over the world, his lasting links at Harvard University, and a cast list the length of your arm in terms of the athletes he has coached, all combined to support the award. And of course 2011 itself had been one of his group's most successful to date.

The nomination had been made by Trackspeed1 quarter miler Matt Threadgold, currently studying at Loughborough University. "I was pleased to do it," he said. "John is a great coach and organiser. Trips to competitions as well as training and other forays over to the States are organised down to the finest detail, and his coaching skills are underlined with the results he gets from his athletes."

ELLINGTON FOR SALE !

2011-12-07T17:42:00.001Z

James makes his point - no kit deal, no sponsorship, and yet he's a
world class sprinter! Why? Read on...

It's been the talk of today (Weds 7/12/11), and will probably be the talk of tomorrow for some time to come - Trackspeed1's World Championship Sprinter James Ellington is up for sale to the highest bidder!

As the only leading British International sprinter without an endorsement or sponsor, let alone kit contract, he has taken the unique step of putting himself on E-Bay with a reserve price of £30,000. The idea is that a company wanting to support the 2012 Olympic hopeful, make a bid for a talented sportsman who will display and support their brand.

The whole concept is well documented in the media - and you can have a look at his website as well at www.jamesellington.net, including the national press (see The Sun / Mail sports pages, Metro page 9 today, and probably many more!)

James poses for the national media at Crystal Palace as news of his E-Bay
bidding initiative breaks!

And the initial news is spectacular, as it appears there has been huge interest generated as the 26-year-old south east Londoner tours the media today, ranging from Breakfast TV to TalkSport radio and BBC / ITV / Sky News slots. He has certainly grasped the imagination of a lot of people!

"This is absolutely brilliant news," commented coach John Powell, who himself took part in the media launch at Crystal Palace yesterday. "James has got to where he is through simple hard graft and determination, unlike man of his supported rivals, all of whom have kit deals and, in some cases, several other endorsements.

"He has a mortgage to pay like everyone else, and a family to support. He cannot be expected to fulfil his potential as an Olympic athlete training full time if he has no income. All he earns at present is a pittance from my Met-Track scheme."

James ended a spectacular 2011 season with lifetime best times in both 100m and 200m sprints, and was the fastest Briton over 200m without the assistance of an altitude venue. Competing in his first ever World Championships in 2011 lines him up as one of TeamGB's principal hopes for sprint glory in East London next Summer.

James is interviewed by the Daily Mail's Neil Wilson at a very chilly
Crystal Palace yesterday!

James is interviewed by national television

James Ellington - no kit deal and no sponsor - yet!

2012: POWELL'S YEAR?

2011-11-18T23:45:00.001Z

It's been an eventful Autumn for Trackspeed1 coach John Powell already with his career as a Police Superintendent now officially at a close!

Powell, 53 next month, retired from his 30-year career on October 30th to concentrate fully on maximising his squad's potential this next year, as well as prepare for significant developments on the home front.

"The group are going very well in the albeit very early stages of winter," said John, "and the focus and determination in the squad has never been greater.

"It's encouraging, but nobody is getting carried away yet - there is alot of work between us now and the 2012 summer season."

On the personal front, John is working hard at home to prepare for his new arrival due in February. Powell Junior in the form of Jasmine Ellen is due on 18th February, and will add to a year already crammed with action and excitement.

"I still can't quite believe it," he said, "but obviously I'm thrilled. The balance between coaching and being a dad again shouldn't be too much of an issue - my wife and I have discussed that at length. I think the biggest challenge will be going to America for warm weather training again only 6 weeks after she is due to be born.

"I'll miss her big time, but that's the way it's got to be if we are to get the best out of everyone. It's my job now, albeit unpaid, so I want to make 2012 the most amazing year ever for Trackspeed1!"

Potentially it could be a massive year for Trackspeed1. James Ellington is totally focussed on making the British Olympic team, and Jason Hussain is hoping he might make London 2012 wearing the colours of Pakistan, taking advantage of his father's birthplace.

"James is a very determined young man this time round," commented John, "and it will take an awful lot next year to deny him an individual berth in the Olympic Games. Jason is also slowly getting into shape, and if he can get cleared to represent his father's native country, that will be an amazing experience for him."

In addition, European Junior Champion David Bolarinwa will be looking to make an impression at the World Junior Championships, in Barcelona, along with potentially Omari Carr-Miller, while who John describes as one or two "dark horses" could pull a few surprises if early promise turns into summer success!

"The atmosphere amongst the squad is completely different this year, and a huge improvement on 2010-11," said Greg Funnell, one of the squad therapists. "I really do believe the group could perform very well next year - everyone really does seem very determined to achieve their goals."

HARVARD LINKS STILL GOING STRONG

2011-10-31T22:18:00.004Z

European Junior 200m Champion David Bolarinwa has kicked offhis winter in style with excellent progress already, reports Trackspeed1 coachJohn Powell, and both have now flown to East Coast America for a few days tocontinue early winter training.

They are based in Boston, where John is further developing hiscontacts in Harvard University, at the same time availing the five star facilitiesto David as a brief change from his usual surroundings at Crystal Palace.

“It’s an excellent opportunity for David to see an AmericanUniversity and how they work, as well as enjoy some pretty special facilities,”said John. “This is going to be acritical development year for David, and he needs to expand his horizonswherever possible.

"We've already had a shock running into former AAA 800m champion Tim Bayley, who is working with his wife at Harvard. Talk about small world! They have a great team here, and it's a great opportunity to network with coaches their side of the Atlantic and take new ideas home."

David attacks one of the local challenges in Harvard's football stadium

David’s first impressions of Boston were very positive,although both athlete and coach were taken a little by surprise by the freezingtemperatures and driving rain and eventual sleet and snow on arrival on Saturday:

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me,” saidDavid, “as I have never been anywhere in the States other than warm weathertraining in Florida. Boston is a greatcity, and I’m looking forward to getting around the Harvard complex and seeing asmuch of one of the best universities in the world as possible.”

David has already kicked off his training at Harvard instyle, attacking one of the big local challenges. The university’s American Football stadium houses some evilsteps, and sprinting up these is a challenge failed by many.

Harvard's football stadium steps present a massive challenge to even
the fittest athletes!

“It was a seriously tough session,” said David. “I didn’t go all the way roundthe stadium, but I was on my last legs at the end after three sets of the firsteight aisles – that was enough for me!”

David has also been reunited with Harvard staff including Harvard sprintscoach Bryan Fetzer, whom he met during international duty in July in Germany. He is also getting access to the exclusive strength and conditioning facilitythat is revered as one of the best in the world at Harvard.

Coach and athlete fly back to the UK on Friday (4^th)

BACK TO THE GRIND!

2011-10-08T18:33:00.003+01:00

Trackspeed1 return to full squad training tomorrow (Sunday 9th) and begin their preparation for what is likely to be the most high profile year for track and field in the UK in hstory!

The glory of the World Championships in Korea for James Ellington, the slitz of three medals in the European Juniors for David Bolarinwa, now fade as yesteryear's statistics, as the heat is on for a massive year for athletics.

The business starts with a basic fitness test to see what sort of shape the squad have got themselves into without the guidance of coach John Powell. Then on Tuesday its back to the basics with conditioning sessions based on grass, astroturf, and the winding hill that hugs the outside boundary of Crystal Palace.

Trackspeed1 coach, John Powell: "2012 is going to be massive...!"

"I don't think people, even in track and field, quite realise just how massive a year it is going to be in 2012," said John Powell. "It's not just for the likes of James who should be running in the Olympics, and David who should be right up there in the World Junior Championships, in Barcelona - it's everyone!

"Track and field is the high profile sport at an Olympic Games, and the fact it is this time in our own back yard, I believe, will be the source of huge motivation to people, and everyone will want a slice of the action. If it's managed right - and that is in my opinion still an 'if' - that L-word, 'Legacy', could play a far bigger part than anyone might have imagined."

As usual, there have been changes to the Trackspeed1 landscape since the end of the 2011 summer. Lawrence Wooldridge has left the group, former squad member Andrew Matthews has come in, and John is now talking to an international class 400/hurdler who is looking to hop in from later this week.

"I'm irritated that Lawrence chose to leave," commented John, "as he told me before I went away he was staying, and then I get an email out of the blue. Heaven knows what he is looking for elsewhere, so I just hope he finds the magic wand!

"On the other hand, we are delighted to have Andrew back with us after a spell with Linford Christie. His PB is still a performance achieved whilst last with us, and it would be terrific to get him back to that sort of form. And if this other lad comes in to join the 400m group the likes of Omari Carr-Miller, Jason Hussain and others will have a great little squad to push them through the cold months."

On the coaching side, John has the assistance of English Schools 100m bronze medalist Anton Daley as he recovers over coming months from major back surgery, and another ex-athlete is in talks with the squad with a view to both starting up training again as well as joining John in a coaching role.

ELLINGTON HITS THE STREETS!

2011-09-16T23:31:00.003+01:00

Tomorrow(Saturday 17^th) sees the return of the unique, Great North City Games,part of the Bupa Great North Run weekend 2011, and Trackspeed1 sprinter JamesEllington will be taking on the Americans in a unique event.

Topinternational athletes from both sides of the Atlantiic go head-to-head on apurpose built track on the streets of Newcastle Gateshead Quayside, and Jameswill contest the 150m for Great Britain. 

As inprevious years, the Great North CityGames 2011 is a completely free event thatoffers spectators the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with someof the biggest names in sport and even if you can’t make it to Newcastle allthe action will be televised live on BBC 1 from 1:30PM.   

Now in itsthird year, the CityGames event will play out one of the greatest rivalries ininternational sport; with the Aviva Great Britain & Northern Ireland teamtaking on their American counterparts over six disciplines including the polevault, long jump, track sprints and road races. Tune in to see James rubshoulders with some of the biggest names in athletics compete for the last timebefore 2012. 

Aviva GB&NI Team

Men

100m - HarryAikines-Aryeetey, Christian Malcolm

110mH -William Sharman, Andy Turner

150m - MarlonDevonish, James Ellington

1 Mile- Andrew Osagie, Bruce Raeside

2 Mile- Mo Farah, Jonny Mellor, Andy Vernon, James Wilkinson

Long Jump- Ezekiel Ewulo, JJ Jegede

Women

100mH- Ashley Helsby, Sara McGreavy

150m- Anyika Onuora, Abi Oyepitan

1 Mile- Hannah England, Jenny Meadows, Emma Pallant

Pole Vault -Holly Bleasdale, Lucy Bryan

Team USA

Men

100- Ivory Williams, Jeff Porter

150- Walter Dix, Maurice Mitchell

1 Mile- Bernard Lagat, Kyle Miller, Donald Cowart

2 Miles- Scott Bauhs, A J Acosta, Brian Olinger, Jeff See

110h- David Oliver, Jason Richardson

Long Jump- Dwight Phillips, Jeremy Hicks

Women

150- Carmelita Jeter, Virginia Crawford

100H- Dawn Harper, Danielle Carruthers

PV- April Steiner Bennett, Becky Holliday

James Ellington's final appearance on the circular track ended with a 10.42 (-0.7m/s) 100m outing in the B-race at the IAAF Grand Prix in Zagreb on Tuesday.

SEASON DONE - ALMOST!

2011-09-10T10:01:00.001+01:00

It's been a blast - and that's official! One of the best seasons ever for Trackspeed1 has seen PB's for every athlete not suffering from injury this summer, culminating in James Ellington's rise to world class in 200m and relay for Great Britain.

James's World Championship campaign may have been brief, but when his achievements of 2011 are seen in the perspective of the bigger picture, boy, what a season!

James had a potentially career-terminating injury in June 2010, and he has confounded even the most optimistic of coaches' predictions this year in not only coming back from that hamstring tear, but rising to the form of his life, with the ultimate reward of a berth i the World Championships in South Korea.

His season is far from finished though. Al;ready he has contested the Diamond League in Zurich last Thursday, running a blistering leg for Britain's sprint relay team. James burst out of the blocks on first leg, passing on to a renewed British quartet involving Craig Pickering, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis. Finishing second behind World Record holders Jamaica was an outstanding performance, and stood in stark contrast to the disaster a few days earlier in Korea (which did not involve James!)

In the 100m James didn't quite hit his drive phase right and clocked a winning 10.40s, but he will have another crack at the individual spring in Zagreb's IAAF Grand Prix this Tuesday.

Meanwhile, James's training colleagues have all hung up their spikes for the season, and are taking a well-deserved rest before recommencing training in October.

"Everyone gets together for session one on October 9th," explained coach John Powell, "but every athlete will need to be doing some preparation training well before that with the possible exception of James, who will need a later rest period."

Another late performer of 2011 was 16-year-old Omari Carr-Miller, whose 48.66s personal best over 400m in the age-group national championships last month was outstanding given his chequered injiury history stretching back two years.

"Omari has immense talent," said John, "and he and I have already met twice to discuss a strategy for the coming year that will hopefully see him get into serious shape for 2012, and keep him free of injury."

Trackspeed1's profile alters slightly each year, and this year sees the welcome return of squad old boy Andrew Matthews. An athlete who PB'd last time he was in the squad as a junior, and who went to European Junior Championships to, hasn't quite clicked since, and decided to return to his old squad to see if he could rekindle some of the old talent.

Now 25, the time could well be right to peak in a year that could see additional international opportunities for athletes not targeting the Olympics, including the European Championships.

Former British junoior and Under-23 sprinter,
Andrew Matthews, is rejoining Trackspeed1

TWO HUNDREDTHS OF A SECOND AND OUT!

2011-09-02T06:38:00.001+01:00

James hits the straight in the heats of the 200m in Daegu

James Ellington's dream of entering the semi-finals of the World Championships crumbled in South Korea today, as the cruelest of margins eliminated him from the 200 metres at heat stage.

Just two hundredths of a second stood between James and an automatic place in the semi-finals, as he took fourth place in his heat in 20.82 seconds. Only the first three went through as of right.

All the athletes were way below their season's best, partly affected by the swirling wind in the stadium, which can be a 200m sprinter's nightmare. James's cause was not helped as he stumbled at the start, and his normally electric bend tamed to holding the stagger.

"I'm gutted for him," said coach John Powell afterwards. "He has worked so hard for this, and to go out when, in another heat, 21.03 went through automatically, it does make it a little hard to swallow.

"He should hold his head high though, and be proud of what he has achieved. Last year he had a potentially career-terminayting injury, and here he's at the World Championships. He has done exceptionally well, and now we must move on and focus on the biggest year ever in British Athletics - 2012!!

IT'S GO TIME FOR ELLINGTON: Korea update 1/9/11

2011-09-01T07:30:00.001+01:00

The Daegu Stadium, where James Ellington will run 200m

It’s his first major senior games, and they are now just hours away! Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington goes in the World Championship 200 metres, in Daegu, South Korea, at 0310hrs UK time (1110 local). For the now published draw for the 200m heats, see the end of this blog.

He will learn who he must face, and who stands between himand what would be a sensational achievement in reaching the semi-finals, latertoday. The semi’s take place at11.55am UK (1955 local).

It could be anyone from the more obscure nations to WorldRecord holder Usain Bolt, but James is ready for any of them:

“Obviously I’d rather not have Bolt in my heat, becausethat’s one of the automatic qualifying places gone,” he said, “but I reckon I’min good shape and I have every intention of getting into the semi’s, and thenwe will see.”

Coach John Powell, also in Korea with his athlete, wasequally upbeat: “James is in fine shape, but knows he has a real job ahead ofhim. But there is no reason why heshould not progress beyond the heats, and for someone who has got here withabsolutely no support whatsoever in terms of sponsorship or funding, that wouldbe fantastic.

“We’ve talked about the various scenarios, including if Bolt is in his heat, but it really comes down to focussing on his own job, andrunning the race of his life. I’veknown James a very long time, and he has been a championship performer in thepast, and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t produce the goods here. It will be tight though - there are 25 entries with faster 2011 best times than James, and only 24 places exist in the semi's!”

James completed his final training session yesterday(Wednesday 31st) and will rest today before he opens his account at what hasthus far been a spectacular world championships. 212 nations have combined to thrill a virtually capacitycrowd most evenings and a healthy attendance in the morning. And in true Far East tradition, theevent has gone like clockwork.

James Ellington completes his final training session before the
World Championship 200 metres, in Daegu, South Korea, Friday 0310hrs UK

“It’s very well organised,” said John, “and has been veryentertaining so far – I’m sure the 200m will be equally as enjoyable! The only real issue now is theheat. The rainy season hasfinished and we hit 39 degrees today, so that needs to be managed verycarefully.”

It will of course depend on how many heats there are as to whatthe qualifying conditions are, but if the women’s event was anything to go bytoday, give heats allowed the first four plus the next fastest four timesthrough to the semi’s.

“That sort of qualification sounds easy,” said John, “butbelieve me it isn’t – you’ve got the very best in the world here, and somedecent athletes fell foul in the heats and will not run again. It really is fight or flight!“

James will learn on Saturday if he is to be part of the 4 x100m sprint relay effort in heats or final on Sunday.

“James has established himself as a world class third leg atall the other internationals this year,” said John, “and he has proved time andagain he is one of the best bend runners this country has ever seen. It would be a scandal if he were notselected, but we will have to wait and see.”

Draw now published. James lane 2 heat 5 (scroll to the right for SB / PB / country)....

Heat 1

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:10

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	530	Roudy Monrose	HAI	20.69	20.69
2	874	Femi Ogunode	QAT	20.30	20.30
3	477	Sebastian Ernst	GER	20.42	20.36
4	985	Sibusiso Matsenjwa	SWZ		21.93
5	1073	Walter Dix	USA	20.02	19.69
6	941	Kim Collins	SKN	20.56	20.20
7	315	Amr Ibrahim Mostafa Seoud	EGY	20.65	20.36
8	968	Marc Schneeberger	SUI	20.52	20.42

Heat 2

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:18

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	157	Michael Mathieu	BAH	20.38	20.38
2	294	Pavel Maslák	CZE	20.66	20.66
3	783	Churandy Martina	NED	20.38	20.08
4	216	Bryan Barnett	CAN	20.54	20.31
5	1009	Emmanuel Callender	TRI	20.67	20.40
6	448	Christian Malcolm	GBR	20.54	20.08
7	588	Usain Bolt	JAM	19.86	19.19

Heat 3

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:26

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	384	Jonathan Åstrand	FIN	20.50	20.50
2	557	Paul Hession	IRL	20.51	20.30
3	165	Khalilur Rahman	BAN	21.34	21.34
4	1110	Darvis Patton	USA	20.25	20.03
5	623	Yuichi Kobayashi	JPN	20.59	20.59
6	943	Brijesh Lawrence	SKN	20.59	20.59
7	801	Jaysuma Saidy Ndure	NOR	20.26	19.89
8	532	Rolando Palacios	HON	20.97	20.40

Heat 4

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:34

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	731	Mosito Lehata	LES	20.93	20.93
2	633	Shinji Takahira	JPN	20.49	20.22
3	969	Alex Wilson	SUI	20.51	20.51
4	886	Lebogang Moeng	RSA	20.58	20.58
5	413	Christophe Lemaitre	FRA	20.21	20.16
6	112	Brendan Christian	ANT	20.60	20.12
7	584	Marvin Anderson	JAM	20.27	20.06
8	938	Leeroy Henriette	SEY	21.70	21.70

Heat 5

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:42

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	1074	Jeremy Dodson	USA	20.33	20.33
2	438	James Ellington	GBR	20.52	20.52
3	585	Nickel Ashmeade	JAM	19.95	19.95
4	564	Calvin Dascent	ISV	20.66	20.66
5	1147	Gabriel Mvumvure	ZIM	20.67	20.67
6	629	Hitoshi Saito	JPN	20.55	20.42
7	204	Sandro Viana	BRA	20.42	20.32

Heat 6

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:50

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	258	Ben Youssef Meité	CIV	20.60	20.37
2	967	Reto Schenkel	SUI	20.51	20.51
3	198	Bruno de Barros	BRA	20.16	20.16
4	1028	Omar Jouma Bilal Al-Salfa	UAE	20.92	20.63
5	813	Alonso Edward	PAN	20.28	19.81
6	217	Jared Connaughton	CAN	20.45	20.34
7	770	Luka Rakic	MNE	21.94	21.94
8	891	Thuso Mpuang	RSA	20.56	20.53

Heat 7

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:58

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	191	Nilson Andrè	BRA	20.56	20.41
2	466	Holder da Silva	GBS		21.01
3	360	Marek Niit	EST	20.43	20.43
4	591	Mario Forsythe	JAM	20.29	20.29
5	262	Daniel Grueso	COL	20.83	20.49
6	1015	Rondel Sorrillo	TRI	20.16	20.16
7	283	Michael Herrera	CUB	20.52	20.31
8	851	Arnaldo Abrantes	POR	20.61	20.48

POWELL MEETS THE ‘MASTER’ - KOREA UPDATE, AUGUST 29TH

2011-08-29T07:37:00.002+01:00

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell realises a long-held ambition as he
meets the 'Master' of world sprinting, World 400m Record holder,
Michael Johnson

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell realised a long-held ambition in South Korea today – he met who he has always referred to as the ‘Master’ of world sprinting, Michael Johnson.

With both men guests of Nike at their week-long reception in the South Korean town of Daegu, which this week hosts the - World Athletics Championships, John seized the opportunity to add to the family album!

“I’ve been a life-long fan of Michael,” said John, “I have the utmost respect for him. As an athlete he was one of the best the world has ever seen, and in recent years as coach and pundit he is one of the most perceptive and knowledgeable in the business.”

As if that weren’t enough, John then hooked up with sprints legend Don Quarrie. The five times Olympian from Jamaica is a distant relation of one of John’s earier athletes, Commonwealth silver medallist multi-eventer Jamie Quarry, and John and Don recently hooked up in Manchester for a coaching seminar.

“The Nike reception is going on all week,” explained John, “and I am immensely grateful to them for inviting me in.”

Nike are the kit sponsors for treble European Junior medallist, David Bolarinwa, who has added to an outstanding season for Trackspeed1. And that season could be rounded off with a sensational bang when James Ellington goes in the World Championship 200 metres heats on Friday.

“James is in shape,” said John, “but it’s the difficult time now. The 200’s start late in the week, and all James wants to do now is run. It’s just a question of managing his lifestyle, and being patient though I’m afraid. If he runs to his true ability he will sail into the semi-finals, and that will be an absolutely herculean achievement by someone who has had no support whatsoever in recent years n terms of kit deal, sponsorship or lottery funding!”

John meets a second sprint legend at the Nike reception - five times
Olympian, Don Quarrie.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATE FROM SOUTH KOREA: FRIDAY 26th AUGUST

2011-08-26T09:15:00.003+01:00

The entrance to the athletes' village in Daegu. 204 countries have
converged on the South Korean venue to contest the 13th World
Athletics Championships

James Ellington has arrive with the first contingent of the British team in the athletes' village in Daegu, just seven days away now from his baptism in the World 200 metres Championship.

From the comparative peace and tranquility of the Ulsan holding camp some 70 miles away, this will have made it real for the 25-year-old south Londoner, with the full bustling environment of an Olympic Games created here with the best athletes on earth all converging on one venue.

It's still business as usual though, with a track session under the supervision of coach John Powell this morning (around 2am UK time!) which James found a punishing experience in rapidly increasing heat and humidity.

"James is in fantastic shape," said John, " but he found today's workout a tough test - as indeed he should. Running three bends of 120m is a tough ask, let alone in 12.19, 12.18 and 12.31 seconds! I don't normally publish training times, but anyone with knowledge of track sprinting will know that is seriously moving!

"James is very confident at the moment and long may that continue. He's in the form of his life and he knows it."

This said, while the athlete is enjoying the excitement and buzz of the village, John's trip has been less than spectacular:

"It's no criticism of UK Athletics at all, but the system reall does fail a personal coach. UKA have rightly prioritised their allocation of access passes, but I have had to beg for 3 day passes to see James in the village over the next week. I won't get close to him for warm-up, let alone the race. I don't even have tickets to watch as a spectator yet!

"It's a scandal that 13 years of building an athlete into a world class sportsman is rewarded with a huge overdraft at the bank to actually get here, and then no access to your athlete. I'm far from the only one, but it really does leave a very sour taste in the mouth - you're treated almost like a second class citizen. You don't get so much as a tee-shirt for guiding your athlete to the world's elite.

"It was the same last year with David Bolarinwa at the World Youth Olympics in Singapore: I remortgaged my house to get out there, and then got no accreditation at all - simply spectators' tickets! The sport badly needs a re-think on a global scale."

James runs in his heat of the 200m on Friday next week (2nd September) in the dead of night at 3.10am UK time (11.10am local) and, if he qualifies for the semi-final, will run again at 7.55pm local, or 11.55am UK.

James and coach John Powell talk about plans for the week to come!

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: SOUTH KOREA UPDATE

2011-08-22T11:36:00.004+01:00

James with coach John Powell leaving the training track at the British
holding camp in Ulsan, after a session with fellow Brit's Craig Pickering
and Harry Akinies Areetey

It's been a long time coming, but James Ellington's entry onto the world stage of sprinting now lies barely ten days away!

Meanwhile it's more of the same, with training sessions at the holding camp's local stadium in Ulsan, some 70 miles south of Daegu where the championships will be held.

"I'm feeling great," said James, "and the way my speed is going right now, it's a pity I didn't get a chance to run more 100's this year, because I reckon I would have run really fast."

It was a view echoed by his coach: "James's basic speed is awesome now, and he's really getting things together. He was at least a match for his training partners today (Monday 22nd), and he finished the session with a fantastic run round the bend out of blocks.

"It's looking terrific for both 200m and the relay - it will take a truly world class opponent to keep up with him the way he is executing the bend right now. I truly believe he is one of the most outstanding exponents of bend running our country has ever seen."

James is with the rest of the British team at their location slightly remote from daegu until the championships begin, when the team will move the short distance north west. John is already in Daegu and is commuting by bus to and from the holding camp.

Meanwhile, a little closer to home, Trackspeed1's Omari Carr-Miller struck silver in the under-17 national championships, in Bedford, with a lifetime's fastest performance over 400 metres!

The sixteen-year-old Croydon Harrier clocked 48.66s - half a second faster than ever before - as he made sure another summer ravaged by injury did not peter out without a fight.

"Omari texted me at 3 in the morning in Korea," said coach John Powell, "but it was the best wake-up call anyone could ask for. Omari is a huge talent, and this proves just that. If he can winter well this next 8 months, he could be a candidate for the World Junior Championships, in Barcelona - at least as a member of the relay squad, if not as an individual in his own right.

It's been a very frustrating time for him with niggles that have kept him out of competition for so long, but I am delighted he is getting at least something out of his season, and a silver at nationals is a brilliant way to top off an albeit short season."

Check out this blog for regular updates from Korea as one of the best seasons ever for Trackspeed1 reaches its dramatic climax on the world stage!

ALL EYES ON SOUTH KOREA!

2011-08-19T16:55:00.000+01:00

Well they are both over there now, and the big event awaits! James Ellington travelled out to the British holding camp for the World Championships on Sunday, but coach John Powell arrived in Daegu today - after 30 hours of travelling via Dubai and Seoul!

The weather that greeted John in Daegu wasn't great - humid but wet, but that will be the last thing on his mind as he looks to support only his third ever athlete at a World Championships or Olympic Games.

"I'm shattered," he said after arrival at his Daegu hotel, "but I really don't care. There's a job to be done here, and I'm determined James gets the best opportunity to perform, although the team set-up in the GB camp is excellent and will provide him with 99% of his needs,. If I can add the final 1% then it's a worthwhile trip!"

Watch this blog for updates during the build-up to the World Championships, which start later this month.

OMARI STRIKES GOLD AT LAST!

2011-08-08T06:12:00.000+01:00

Trackspeed1 quarter miler Omari-Carr-Miller had his patience rewarded at last yesterday (Sunday 7th), as he swept to victory in the South of England under-17 Championships, in Ashford (Kent).

After a catalogue of injuries that have severely tapered his competitive programme this year - as last - he demollished the field in the 400m final to record a lifetime's best of 49.19 seconds, adding his name to the vast array of personal bests set by his training squad this year.

The 16-year-old Croydon Harrier has barely raced this season due to a series of injuries, which would have seen many an athlete of his age quit the battle, but his perseverence certainly looks to have paid off. Given his lack of training this summer - and a hugely limited winter programme - his achievement at Ashford was all the more impressive.

"Omari is an incredibly fragile, but hugely talented young athlete," said coach John Powell. "He has missed alot of work this last two years, but he has done what he can, stuck with it most of the time, and has now been rewarded for his patience.

"I have to say though, that his performance is undoubtedly reflective of the immense support he has had from our therapy team who offer their services to the squad at training every week. Lucy Eggleton and Greg' Funnell have been indispensible in Omari's rehabilitation, and I do hope that they will be the first people he will be saying thank you to at training this week.

As what is undoubtedly one of the most successful seasons inTrackspeed1's history enters its final stages, European Junior 200m Champion, David Bolarinwa returns to the track where he won is title, in Tallinn, Estonia, tomorrow. There, he will contest a European Permit Meeting "BigBanks" while, closer to home, James Ellington will enter the final week of training in the UK before he leaves for the World hampionships, in Daegu, South Korea, on Sunday.

"We've had an unbelievable year," said John Powell, "and it's not over yet. It's been job satisafactuion for me on an unprecedented scale!"

ELLINGTON RUBS SHOULDERS WITH THE WORLD'S BEST

2011-08-06T20:44:00.001+01:00

Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington is off to the World Championships next Sunday (14th), and he is under no illusions about the job lying ahead of him after his Diamond League 200m today (6th) at Crystal Palace.

Competing on home turf as the local lad, the romantic end would have been a performance to savour, a personal best, a few scalps... But in reality that represented a huge ask after a UK Championships weekend just six days earlier had emptied his tanks.

Qualification for the Worlds amounted to James' most outstanding achievement yet, in an illustrious track career, but this weekend was a step too far as he fought to a creditable seventh in the 200m, won by fastest man in the world this year Walter Dix (20.16s), with James clocking 21.03s, albeit not forgetting the -2.0 headwind.

The relay leg at the end of the meeting while representing one of two senior British teams was another story though, as James ran a blinder of a bend on third leg, ensuring they were the first British team home. It was a performance that did not go unnoticed by team coaches, and the general thoughts now are that this 25-year-old could be running himself into a team spot at the World Championships, in Daegu, South Korea, later this month.

"Let's get real here," said coach John Powell afterwards, "this guy has fulfilled a dream in getting to the Worlds, and to ask for another peak perormance six days later was pushing it. At the end of the day, his improvement this year has been immense. He's competed in two Diamond Leagues for a start, and become a regular in the British Senior relay squad, quite apart from PB's in the sprints. And we still have Daegu to come!"

Also in action at the Palace was Trackspeed1's European Junior 200m Champion, David Bolarinwa, who anchored the British Junior relay team home in the 4x100m relay, but unfortunately that team were disqualified for a faulty change.

Check out this blog for progress and updates from Tallinn as David returns to the track where he struck European Gold last month, this Tuesday, and then next week as coach John Powell flies out to Daegu to support James in the World Championships

ELLINGTON QUALIFIES FOR THE WORLDS!

2011-08-01T05:43:00.003+01:00

Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington made the breakthrough of a lifetime yesterday (Sunday 31st July), as he blasted to second in the UK Championships and World Championship Trials 200 metres final, in the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham. His performance guaranteed him selection to the World Championships, in Daegu, South Korea, later this month.


James Ellington collects his silver medal in Birmingham. His previous best finish in a UK Championships is sixth

For both athlete and coach, John Powell, who first hooked up when the now 25-year-old Newham and Essex Beagle was just 13, it was a hugely emotional performance, which realised a dream held for years.

Ellington clocked 20.91 behind race winner Christian Malcolm, but times were always going to be of no importance, as both athletes had already achieved the Daegu qualifying time, and had only to clinch gold or silver to comply with the selection criteria laid down by UK Athletics.

"Make no mistake," said an absolutely euphoric John Powell afterwards, " this achievement is absolutely massive. James has had no lottery funding, no sponsorship, no kit deal, nothing. He has achieved this through the adversity of a potentially career-terminating hamstring injury last year, and sheer hard graft.

"Words could never describe just how proud I feel at this very moment. I've watched James grow up, develop as an outstanding junior, become a father last year, and now he's off to rub shoulders with literally the best the world has to offer. Fantastic!"

It's the best year in Trackspeed1 history since the golden year of 2003, when Chris Lambert landed gold in the European under-23 200m final and 4x100m relay, and gold in the World Student Games 100m - the latter of which were held in Daegu!

"I'll be going back to Daegu with fond memories of Chris and his gold medal there," said John. "I really am having to pinch myself that this has happened. I never wavered in my belief in James's ability, but you never really dare even think anything until the athlete has crossed the line. I have never reacted at a race finish before as I did in Birmingham, and I guess that reflected just how much the whole deal meant. I leapt out of my seat screaming - on reflection it's actually quite embarrassing!"

James will now have to prepare for the trip of his life. He leaves with the British team on Sunday 14th August to travel to Ulsan, 65 miles from Daegu, where the British holding camp is located pre-games. He will transfer to Daegu on 24th, and compete in the first round of the 200 metres on 29th. And Ellington could even come back as a medallist if the 4x100m relay team live up to expectations - he has already established himself as a huge asset on the home bend in internationals earlier this year.

John Powell has yet to settle his travel plans, but is likely to be near the front of the queue to speak to his bank manager this week!

"I've remortgaged my house three times already so I can support my athletes in major championships," he explained, "the last time was last year when I went with David Bolarinwa to the World Youth Olympics in Singapore. It costs a bomb and coaches get nothing. I'll be in Daegu come hell or high water, but it's going to be the economy trip!

The records will show that James's final in Birmingham was run into a -1.7m/s headwind which, if reversed, would have added a very healthy time indeed to a nevertheless outstanding performance. Clearly in shape, the biggest highlight of his season may not yet have arrived!

Coach John Powell & protegee James Ellington are on the plane to Korea!

COMETH THE HOUR, COMETH THE ATHLETE - SURELY IT'S ELLINGTON NOW!

2011-07-30T23:01:00.000+01:00

James Ellington has waited a long time to break into the big time. He's suffered injury, he's been swamped with frustration, but surely 2011 is his moment!

In the World Championship Trials 200m on Sunday 31st the 25-year-old will seek to achieve what so few before him have done - reach a world championships as an individual in a sprints event despite not being part of the funded UK Athletics set-up.

"James is in the form of his live," said coach John Powell, "and the stage is set. It's up to him now - the 100's today (Saturday 30th) will have drained the tanks of many, so all he has to do is finish first or second and he could well be on the plane to Korea."

James has already run the A qualifying time for the World Championships, and a top 2 finish would surely confirm his place in the team.

MILLER BACK TO HIS BEST

2011-07-30T22:42:00.004+01:00

Trackspeed1 sprinter Jack Miller (18) was back to his best at his latest Southern League outing, at Bedford today (Saturday).

Jack Miller - in the form of his life at Bedford

Miller, of Bexley Athletics Club, was frustrated to see no electronic timing laid out at the brand new mondo surfaced track in Bedford, as he has been promising all season to turn on the speed, and would have done but for poor conditions all year.

Bedford saw great conditions though, but he was faced with hand timing, made all the more frustrating given that his 22.3s 200m was potentially his fastest ever by 0.05s. In the 100m he was also on form, clocking 11.0s, which is a season’s best, and which could have been a ten-point second time had the timing equipment been deployed!

“Jack has had a frustrating time of it this season,” said coach John Powell, “although he has been clocking lifetime best times over 200m. His development has just seen his 100m achievements stall a little, and that is made worse by the fact that he is running far faster in training!”

At the same meeting, Omardo Anson made his comeback in a non-scoring 100m timing a modest 11.7s, but his appearance at all this season after a nasty hamstring tear in June is an achievement in itself . It was a determined return by Anson, which typified a small squad of Trackspeed1 casualties this year. All the squad's athletes who have remained fit have set lifetime best times!

Meanwhile, in Birmingham, David Bolarinwa put the opportunity of experiencing senior opposition to good use, finishing fifth in the semi-final in 10.55s. It was a far cry from the European Junior Championships a week earlier, but with Marlon Devonish, Craig Pickering, Tyrone Edgar and Rikki Fifton to contend with, it was far from a poor showing.

KIERON RUBS SHOULDERS WITH THE BEST

2011-07-30T11:04:00.002+01:00

It may not have been the best of performances for 18-year-old Trackspeed1 sprinter Kieron Daly, but it will have been one hell of an experience!

Having set lifetime best performances in both 100m and 200m sprints this year, he was rewarded with the chance of rubbing shoulders with the very best British Athletics has to offer, with a lane in the World Championship Trials 100m last night (Friday 29^th), in Birmingham.

Blackheath & Bromley Harriers' Kieron Daly gets ready for his debut in the big-time at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium

Lining up alongside sprints legend Marlon Devonish it was never about qualification for the semi-final, but soaking up the atmosphere and making the most of the biggest moment in his track career to date.

“Kieron didn’t perform up to recent standards on the night,” said coach John Powell, “but quite honestly that didn’t matter. He’s had a great season and being here is just reward for some hard graft that has produced significant improvement this summer.”

It wasn’t a night to remember for Trackspeed1, as Alex Ojo crashed out in his heat, while David Bolarinwa struggled to get himself back up to scratch after the euphoria of just seven days previously when he struck gold in the European Junior 200m Final, in Estonia.

David qualified for the semi-finals in third place clocking 10.61s behind heat winner Mark Lewis-Francis (10.30s) and European and Commonwealth hurdles champion, Andy Turner (10.60s), after a horrendous start.

The second day of the championships will see the semi-finals and final of a hotly-contested 100m, and then day 3 will stage one of the most exciting 200m contests for years. Trackspeed1's James Ellington starts as a hot favourite to secure a seat on the plane to the World Championships in Korea next month - he will be looking for a minimum of a top two finish on Sunday evening.

Lawrence Wooldridge also goes in the 200m and will be looking to replicate some of the form he has shown in training this year, but who has yet to consistently transfer into competitive performances.

BOLARINWA'S CLEAN SWEEP

2011-07-24T17:15:00.000+01:00

David Bolarinwa with coach John Powell, in Tallinn, after the 17-year-
old cleaned up with a full set of medals at the European Junior
Championships.

David Bolarinwa became only the second British male athlete in history to land three medals at a major junior championship, after he added silver to his 100m bronze and 200m gold today (Sunday). See previous blog stories for a full round-up and photo's...

A scintillating run on anchor leg of the sprint relay almost hauled in the leading French team, but finished barely a tenth of a second behind, with one of the fastest times by a British junior quartet in years of 39.48s.

It was almost the perfect end to a week of high drama, after the devastation at sliding to third in the 100m on Friday, yet bouncing back with a world class gold medal-winning 200m the day after.

"It's been a real roller-coaster of a ride," said a delighted coach John Powell, "but this has encapsulated some of my proudest moments as a coach to a junior. There have been a few, but for David to bounce back from the huge disappointment of his 100m performance was very impressive indeed."

The immediate reaction of the British quartet was one of huge disappointment at not beating the French, but they slowly realised they had run a very classy time, and the team from France were a very impressive act, not least 100m Champion Jimmy Vicaut, whose 10.07s 100m on Friday was nothing short of breathtaking.

David will now return to the UK with little time even to draw breath, as he launches straight back into action on Friday night in the rounds of the 100m at the World Championship trials, in Birmingham. After that, he and coach John Powell will sit down and map out the finale to his season which may involve one more foray into a European Permit meeting.

Elsewhere in Trackspeed1, final preparations are being put together for the trials meeting next weekend. At the forefront of Powell's thoughts will be James Ellington, who goes in a hotly-contested 200m on Sunday. He should be right in the mix for selection to the World Championships, in South Korea, at the end of August if he continues the outstanding form he has shown to date in 2011.

In the 100m and 200m will be Jason Hussain, who hit lifetime best form just at the right time this weekend, and he will be joined in the 100m by Alex Ojo, and in the 200m by Kieran Daly and Lawrence Wooldridge.

So seven Trackspeed1 athletes will be taking part in the UK Athletics showpiece of the season and, if most perform to potential, they will confirm 2011 as one of the most outstanding seasons in the squad's history!

James Ellington will be looking to impact on
the 200m at the Birmingham trials, as David
Bolarinwa (left of picture) will debut at his
first ever senior championships

EUROPEAN CHAMPION - DAVID STRIKES GOLD

2011-07-23T20:50:00.003+01:00

European Junior 200m Champion. Victory so sweet after the trials and
tribulations of the 200m yesterday!

Trackspeed1 sprinter David Bolarinwa is European Junior Champion over 200 metres, after a scintillating final that almost never happened!

In the semi-finals, David won his race in 21.36 despite a -2.6 headwind, but then spent half his recovery period before the final throwing up! And he admitted afterwards that he really didn't see how he was going to make the start line, much less win the final!

The double English national champion bounced back from the devastating disappointment of 24 hours before, when he took bronze in the 100m, producing a fine 21.36s run in the semi-final despite a -2.6m/s headwind. But the following half hour saw him violently ill, and his very participation in the championships sat in the balance!

"David was incredibly motivated for the 200," said coach John Powell, "he hardly spoke a word during warm-up, but you could see he was a very determined young man. I am so, so proud of him today - he is a year young in the under-20 age-group, and yet he has won a major championship. I'm told Atto Bolden has commented on Twitter that he is a major talent to come out of England. Compliment indeed!"

David's final time was 21.07s - the fastest 200m of his life, despite a headwind of -2.7m/s. He immediately won plaudits from all over the world with both his and coach John Powell's phone filling up with congratulatory messages.

"The photo I was sent of David crossing the line (above/top) will be etched on my mind forever," he said, "the job satisfaction gets no better than this with a young athlete."

David and elated coach John Powell celebrate 200m European Gold!

Meanwhile, a little closer to home...

It was a significant weekend for the experienced sprint talent of Jason Hussain too, with two lifetime best times in each sprint...

Competing in a Super8 meeting, at Crawley, the 24-year-old Crawley AC number one cracked his 100m best with a winning 10.76s with legal wind speed of +1.7m/s. Then he went on to record his fastest ever 200m of 21.23s, but was horrified to learn that the wind speed for that race was +2.1 - just 0.1m/s over the legal limit!

"It still shows the sort of form I'm in at the moment," said Jason, "and it's come just at the right time with the World Championship Trials just a week away now."

Jason Hussain had good reason to be smiling after
two PB's at Crawley.

THIRD IN EUROPE!

2011-07-22T18:57:00.002+01:00

For 99.99 per cent of athletes it would be a dream, but for Trackspeed1 wonderkid David Bolarinwa, a European Championship bronze medal was a let-down.

David ponders on what could have been, but will surely look back on
a European medal as a major stepping stone to greater things in the future.

The 100m final in a steaming Kadriorg Stadium Tallin, where the temperature was 36 degrees and still rising at 6pm, failed to live up to the 17-year-old's expectations, leaving him third in a race won by one of the fastest juniors of all time.

Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut won in a stunning 10.07, but the real agony for David was that fellow Brit Adam Gemili ran the race of his life to out-dip him on the line for silver. Gemili clocked 10.41 and Bolarinwa 10.46.

"David was extremely disappointed," said coach John Powell, "and I can understand that. He has run faster times earlier in the season, and we have to look to see what, if anything, needs changing in the future. He was in superb form coming out here, and 10.46 does not represent what he is worth right now."

David will have very little time to lick his wounds though, with the semi-finals of the 200m tomorrow (Saturday at 2pm UK time), and the final two hours later.

"David is every inch capable of winning the 200m," said John, "as long as he snaps out of today's disappointment. He is a massive talent, and it would be a travesty for him to leave a championships like this without proving just that."

FRENCH LESSON FOR DAVID!

2011-07-21T17:08:00.003+01:00

Tallinn update:

David Bolarinwa in his European Junior Championship
semi-final, in Tallinn

An amazing sprint from French rival Jimmy Vicaut in the semi-finals of the European Junior 100m Championship left everyone gasping for breath in the Estonian Capital.

A 10.12s sprint into a -1.8m/s headwind eclipsed third-fastest qualifier David Bolarinwa's easy run in semi-final 2. David clocked a relaxed 10.55s to win his semi into a -0.5m/s wind after the Frenchman had left burn marks in his lane!

Britain's Adam Gemili was second-fastest in winning his heat in 10.49s with a -0.7m/s wind, making tomorrow afternoon's final a potentially thrilling affair.

"You've got to be real about it," said Trackspeed1 coach John Powell afterwards, "the French guy is going into the final as hot favourite, but nobody is unbeatable. The race for the other two medals will be tight, but David is every bit capable of silver which, as a first year in this age-group, would be terrific."

The 100m final takes place at 5.45pm local time tomorrow (3.45pm UK). David will then thank his luck stars the 200m is also a semi-final to final affair with the heats cancelled. They would have started soon after the 100m final, but are now scheduled for 4pm (semi's) on Saturday and 6.05pm (final).

The conditions in Tallinn were challenging on the first day, and promise to be at least as difficult on day 2. Temperatures hit the high thirties with huge humidity levels.

EUROPEAN JUNIORS - DAY 1

2011-07-21T11:15:00.002+01:00

It's day one of the European Junior Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, and Trackspeed1 sprinter David Bolarinwa has already had some great news.

Round one of the 100m, due off this morning (Thursday 21st), has been cancelled, and the 22 competitors entered will go straight to the semi-finals this afternoon. Go-time for David is 5.22pm (3.22pm UK time). A live feed on the event should be available at the European Athletics website. Eurosport are also covering the championships on Sky channels 410 and 412HD.

The draw for this afternoon's kick-off sees David in heat two, lane 2, and on paper his closest rival has a best time of 10.52s, so the inference is that he should be heading for the final tomorrow. The conditions in Tallinn, as reported by coach John Powell, who arrived yesterday, are quite challenging though:

"It is phenomenally humid here," he said, "and certainly my hotel has no air conditioning, so David will have to manage his diet and fluids very carefully.

"The absence of a first round in the 100m is terrific, but there look to be more entries for the 200m, so we can't count on the same happening in that event, and that would still mean a 100m final quickly followed by the 200m first round tomorrow (Friday) evening.

"It's a huge four days for David, but he has already experienced these sort of conditions in Singapore last year, and he is a championship performer, so let's just hope things go well."

Only one athlete has ever brought home three medals from a major junior championship, and that was Britain's Mike McFarlane in 1979 when he won the 200m and relay, and took second in the 100m. This year could see two athletes emulate that achievement with both David in the men's events, and World Junior Champion Jodie Williams in both women's sprints.

TRACKSPEED1 LINE UP FOR THE MAJORS

2011-07-16T18:57:00.001+01:00

It's make or break now for Trackspeed1's season over the next 14 days, as all their big hitters head for the major meets of the year.

This weekend's England Championships, however, will only see three of the squad in action, with Lawrence Wooldridge, Matt Threadgold and Jason Hussain in the 200m. Threadgold ran the 400m today, but went out in the semi-finals with a 48.72s run that left him one agonising place outside the final.

Next week marks D-Day for David Bolarinwa - well, four times to be precise, as he contests both the 100m, 200m and relay for Great Britain in the European Junior Championships, in Tallinn, Estonia.

"David could have up to 8 races with three rounds in each individual sprint, plus possibly two runs in the relay," explained coach John Powell, who will be travelling to Tallinn himself on Wednesday. "Day one is Thursday with the 100m heat in the morning and semi-fionals in the afternoon. The final is on Friday evening as are the heats of the 200m, so a god recovery strategy is essential," he continued.

Meanwhile, James Ellington is focussing on the training track before he mounts his assault on the World Championship Trials on the weekend of July 30/31st. He will start as a solid favourite to get into the relay squad for the Championships in South Korea at the end of August, but will be looking to gain an individual berth too. As one of the fastest men in the country over 200m, he will start as a firm contender for his first ever medalist place in the major trials of the season.

The trials, which take place in Birmingham, should also feature Trackspeed1 names including Jason Hussain, Lawrence Wooldridge, Matt' Threadgold, and possibly even David Bolarinwa if he recovers in time from Tallinn.

Elsewhere in the squad, younger members have enjoyed a terrific season to date with Kieron Daley sneaking under 22 seconds for the first time ever last week - marking almost a second off his 2010 best. Younger brother Anton has been on form with his first ever sub-11 second 100m runs, and despite early season injury, Matt Threadgold has PB'd in the 400m.

"It's been a great year so far, but we've got the business end of the season coming up," said John.

DARK HORSE DALEY COMES OF AGE!

2011-07-11T23:27:00.000+01:00

Eighteen-year-old Trackspeed1 sprinter Kieran Daley came of age in the 200m on Sunday (10th July) as he dipped into the 21-second bracket for the first time with a massive lifetime best run.

Competing in the National Junior League fixture for Blackheath and Bromley in Basildon, Essex, Kieran clocked 21.92s into a slight headwind, which completely eclipsed his 2010 best of 22.7s, and was not so far behind training partner David Bolarinwa who won the race in 21.49s.

"This was a massive improvement for Kieran," said coach John Powell, "but i told him only last week that he had a sub-22 second run in the tank, and now he's gone and proved it. Kieran could be a real dark horse over the next couple of years - technically he's still quite raw, and he is very much work in progress."

Bolarinwa was switching down a gear in competing at the meeting, but still had to overcome fellow British Junior International Adam Gemili in the 100m, which he succeeded in doing clocking a winning 10.56s. Now all roads lead to Tallin, Estonia, where David will open his account with the 100m heats next Thursday (July 21st).

Meanwhile James Ellington took part in the Diamond League meeting, in Birmingham, on Sunday, but failed to capture the form that has taken him into Britain's elite of the sprinting world, as he dropped back after a promising start to record 10.33s in sixth place.

"The absolute priority is to win gold in Tallin with David, and perform at the World Championship Trials for James," said John. "David is more than capable oif winning three golds in Tallin, and James is more than capable of getting an individual berth in the World Championships team in South Korea, were I would expect him to at least reach the semi-finals."

This season is rapidly turning into one of the most successful ever for Trackspeed1 as a whole, and the next 3 weeks comprise a critical period in the futures of the squad's top two international performers.

DAVID HITS THE MARK AS TALLIN TREBLE BECKONS

2011-07-03T23:10:00.003+01:00

Trackspeed1's sprints superkid, David Bolarinwa (17) is hoping to be bidding for three medals in the European Junior Championships, in Tallin, Estonia, later this month.

The Ravensbourne School student, from Thamesmead, cracked the qualifying mark for the 200m in Mannheim, Germany today (Sunday 3rd) as he clocked 21.18s to win the annual international gala meet.

"It was far from a great run," said coach John Powell, "but it was good enough to slip inside the UKA qualifying mark of 21.25s. Now we would expect - and hope - that David is selected for the 100m and 200m in Tallin.

"There is bags more in the tank - David arrived back in London with a cold, so he has obviously not been 100 per cent. I would certainly expect well inside 21 seconds in the Europeans even though he could end up with eight races in five days."

David will have the 100m heats semi-finals and final on the first two days, and the heats of the 200m come immediately after the 100m final. Then semi's and final follow on day three with heats and final of the sprint relay after that.

"I fully expect David to come home with three European medals," added John. "It's going to be very tough, but I have every confidence in him."

David mounts the rostrum as 200m winner in Mannheim. Britain's
Sam Watts (right) was second, and the fastest junior in Europe
from France third

July will see the culmination of what is building to be a spectacular season for Trackspeed1. This weekend saw personal bests from Anton Daly and Matt Threadgold, leaving barely a couple of athletes without lifetime best marks in 2011.

The European Junior Championships begin in Tallin on July 21st, and the trials for the World Championships are at the end of the month in Birmingham. There, James Ellington will fully expect to be in the mix for selection to the team travelling to Korea in August.

"We're going great guns at the moment," said John Powell, "but there's absolutely no room for complacency. It's foot on the gas all the way now, and in a month's time let's just hope this really does turn into our best year ever!"

TRACKSPEED1 HEADING FOR BEST SEASON EVER!

2011-07-02T18:48:00.003+01:00

They've never had it so good - or so Trackspeed1 coach John Powell is beginning to think! What was to be a low profile weekend for the south London sprints group is again producing some scintillating results!

First, 16-year-old Anton Daly ran under 11 seconds for the second time in 24 hours, taking bronze at the English Schools championships, in Gateshead, clocking 10.92s in the intermediate boys 100m final - tantalisingly close to an international vest, which is awarded to the top two! And then came the league competitions down south...

Elder brother Kieron Daly, 18, ran inside 11 seconds for the third time in a week to clock 10.93s in a non-scoring 100m in the British League match in Kingston, while Jason Hussain ran one of his better 200m to finish second n 21.58s in the division one fixture, representing Crawley.

Meanwhile, James Ellington, the newly-crowned British number one, jogged round the 200 for Newham in the Premier League clash at Copthall Stadium, Barnet, and clocked a hugely impressive 20.80s despite a 2.0m/s headwind!

Then back at Kingston, Matt Threadgold at last set a lifetime best mark in the 400m. Running in the colours of Belgrave Harriers, the Loughborough student clocked in at 48.31s, while training partner at Trackspeed1, Lawrence Wooldridge timed an outstanding 48.56s.

John Powell, currently in Germany with David Bolarinwa who is representing Great Britain Juniors at a gala meeting in Mannheim, watched his starlet anchor the British team home in first place after some slick changes. He goes in the 200m individual event tomorrow.

David leads Britain home to win the 4x100m relay in Mannheim

The victorious relay team in Mannheim!

David takes the baton from Adam Gemili on anchor leg in Germany

ANTON's FIRST FINAL CURTAIN

2011-07-02T10:32:00.000+01:00

Trackspeed1's ever-improving 16-year-old sprinter Anton Daly lines up today in an English Schools 100m final that could define a final curtain on part one of his track career.

As one of the fastest 3 qualifiers to today's intermediate boys (under-17) final, he stands an excellent chance of gaining his first ever international vest - just weeks before he will have to submit to major surgery!

Anton's 10.90 heat run yesterday (Friday 1st) was a personal best by two tenths of a second, and sees only one other qualifier faster than him in today's final. In a sudden death finale, the first two across the line will be selected to represent England at the home schools international v Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland next weekend.

It would be a huge moment for the Blackheath and Bromley sprinter, whose scoliosis condition (poorly-positioned spine) will be operated on in August. It will mean nine months away from the track for Anton, but as both athlete and his coach, John Powell accept, the longer term benefits will undoubtedly be huge.

"Anton is an exceptionally determined young man," said John, "and he will be a far better athlete once he recovers from this procedure. It will be tough, of course, for a teenager not to be able to engage in any physical sport for several months, but if anyone can come out of it a better athlete, Anton can."

Meanwhile, John has flown out to Mannheim, Germany, to watch double English Junior sprints champion. David Bolarinwa, compete against some of the leading athletes in Europe in the annual track gala, representing Great Britain Juniors. He runs in the relay today and 200m tomorrow.

"It's my last chance to get a 200m qualifying time for the European Championships," said David, "so John and I agreed we might as well have a go. It's 21.25 and I ran 21.27 last week, so I know I can do it."

David is likely to ask selectors to include him in both sprints in the European Junior Championships later this month in Tallin, Estonia, if he is successful.

Top-ranked British 200m man James Ellington is also in action this weekend, representing Newham and Essex Beagles in the second round of the British Athletics League, at their Premier League fixture, at Copthall Stadium, Barnet. He goes in the 100m, 200m and sprint relay, while training partner Jason Hussain represents Crawley at their division one fixture at Kingston. Matt Threadgold goes for Belgrave in the 400m at the same venue.

ELLINGTON QUALIFIES FOR THE WORLDS!

2011-06-27T20:37:00.002+01:00

Trackspeed1 sprints ace James Ellington sprinted to the top of the British 200 metre rankings today, with a sensational 20.52s run in Metz, France.

Incredibly, it sliced nearly half a second off his previous lifetime best performance of 20.92, and soared under the World Championship qualifying standard of 20.59. No other Briton has run as fast this year to date. The almost irrelevant following wind was +0.4m/s.

It blows the competition for world championship places wide open now, with initial thoughts that his wind-assisted 10.12s over 100m earlier this year may have indicated his destiny when the year's showpiece comes round in Daegu, South Korea, late in August. That now, however, appears about to change!

To make his performance even more impressive, James had run 10.23s over the 100m barely an hour earlier, equalling his lifetime best, and again with virtually no wind reading at +0.3m/s.

Ellington, who has been coached by Trackspeed1 coach John Powell since the age of 13 for all but 2 years, has been threatening to run a fast 200m for a while, but as Powell underlined, he just hasn't had the right opportunity.

"James has always had a strong 200m in him - ever since he was a junior - but it's either been injury or weather conditions that have frustrated his attempts to prove it.

"I was actually surprised at his 100m time as I reckoned he was ready to run faster than that, but the 200m is outstanding, and we really do now have to think about what we are going to aim for with respect to Daegu. I', delighted for him though - it's high time the world sees just what a stellar talent James Ellington is."

James's run wrapped up a long and spectacularly successful weekend for Trackspeed1 athletes as the blogs on this site reflect. David Bolarinwa sealed his ticket to the European Junior Championships in Estonia over the weekend with a double win in the england Championships in Bedford.

James Ellington takes the baton from training
colleague David Bolarinwa in a relay earlier
this season in the USA.

"The last third of the season is going to be amazing," said John Powell. "I've already been to the States, Austria and Spain, and there's Germany and Estonia to come. Now we're talking about Daegu. Heaven knows how I'm going to afford it all, but if James is in an individual event in a World Championships, I'll hitch-hike to the Far East if I have to!"

DAVID SOARS TO DOUBLE GOLD

2011-06-26T21:09:00.000+01:00

David Bolarinwa saw off the best England had to offer again today, as he soared to his second gold medal of the England National Junior Championships at Bedford this weekend.

Competing in the under-20 200m, the 100m champion from yesterday clocked 21.27s in the final - tantalisingly close to a second European Junior Championship qualifying mark which, in this event, stands at 21.25.

"A 1.6m/s headwind didn't help," said coach John Powell afterwards, "but it was a good performance after three draining 100s the day before. We'll go to Mannheim now on Friday with the British team and hopefully mark up a better 200. Then it's decision time around what he wo[uld prefer to run in the European Championships."

David receives his second gold of the weekend from British sprints
legend Linford Christie.

The European event opens on July 21st in Tallin, Estonia, and David up until now has been focussing on the 100m there. However, there may be a shift from that view depending on how things go in Mannheim. There may also be the option of doubling up in both sprints.

Bolarinwa's double - one of only four in two age-groups over the whole weekend - established him as one of the best all-round sprints talents Britain has ever had. He lines up alongside the likes of Mark Lewis-Francis and Christian Malcolm on the all-time lists, and he has another year remaining in the same age-group!

Elsewhere at Bedford, Trackspeed1's Lawrence Wooldridge made the final of the under-23 men's 200m, but could only manage 6th in 21.73s, while Edmond Amaning was still clearly suffering from lack of training due to recurrent injury issues this Spring, finishing 5th in his under-20 200m heat, failing to progress to the final.

It was a complete nightmare weekend for Trackspeed1 new face Alex Ojo, who was disqualified for a false start in the 100m on day one, only to break down on the motorway n route to day two, missing the 200m completely!

BOLARINWA WINS TITLE THRILLER

2011-06-25T20:22:00.002+01:00

Trackspeed1 superkid David Bolarinwa won the most thrilling 100m national championship final ever to retain the 100m under-20 title he won last year.

The only Briton to win an under-20 title aged 16 (last year) retained it in the most dramatic of circumstances as he edged out Blackheath's Adam Gemili by literally thousandths of a second at the line.

The gusting wind had played havoc with times in the rounds with Gemili getting the better of the clock, but David was biding his time. That said, his wind legal 10.38s in the semi-final was impressive to say the least as he coasted through the tape.

David Bolarinwa on top of the rostrum again after
retaining his England under-20 100m title

Gemili, who is on Dagenham and Redbridge FC's books, probably paid the price of lack of experience to Bolarinwa, as he dipped for the line early in desperation at David's solid pick-up and finish. Both clocked 10.23s but were separated on thousandths of a second to decide the medals.

"It was an excellent race," said a proud coach John Powell, "it was always going to be a thriller, and it lived up to that. I had told David that he simply had to hold his form at the end and that should be enough. Both were given the same time of 10.23, but David can be seen to hit the line first when you replay the film. I was surprised they weren't separated by a hundredth or two."

On the same day and in the same event, Trackspeed1's Kieran Daly shattered his personal best in the semi-final to record a wind-legal 10.85, finishing fourth behind training companion David. It was the first time he had notched up a sub-11 second mark.

The official photo-finish of the 100m thriller!

In the 400m Matt Threadgold didn't give himself the greatest start to the championships arriving just ten minutes before his final report time for the heats. However, he ran well from lane 8 and qualified for the semi's in third place, but failed to progress further.

ELLINGTON ROARS ON WHILE BOLARINWA GIVES A SPANISH LESSON

2011-06-18T21:56:00.003+01:00

James Ellington has proved this season that he is knocking on the door of world class in the world of sprints, and David Bolarinwa is surely one of the best juniors on the planet. Well both proved themselves at opposite ends of the continent today.

Ellington, competing for Great Britain in the European teams Championships in Stockholm, regained the lead on third leg of the 4 x 100m relay to set up a famous win for Britain on day one. The team clocked 38.6s

It was certainly a very strong leg in a team made up of four of Britain's best - Christian Malcolm, Craig Pickering, James, and Harry Aikines Aryeetey, and augurs well for the Catford-born sprinter's possible future inclusion in the squad travelling to the World Championships in South Korea in August.

Meanwhile, in Bilbao, Spain, the rain held off, but the wind didn't for young starlet David Bolarinwa, who was competing in a European Athletics Permit meeting.

In the semi-finals of the 100m he showed huge promise with a winning 10.42s effort in front of Britain's Simeon Williamson, but the final saw him improve that by only a fraction to 10.40, both wind assisted, and the latter leaving him just fifth in a final won in 10.11s.

The 200m, however, was a different story. Run as two finals ranked on time, he blew away a classy field including Britain's Richard Strachan, and clocked a lifetime's fastest 20.96s to win the race - and tournament - outright.

David Bolarinwa tops the rostrum after the 200m
in Bilbao, Spain, earlier today

"There were issues with David's 100m which didn't go as well as they could," explained coach John Powell, "but that is work in progress, and there won't be too many 17-year-olds out there getting this kind of experience, which was the whole purpose of the exercise.

"The 200 was far better though," he went on, "especially as he didn't really feel up to it after two rather modest 100's. It's a pity the wind was illegal again, but one day we'll get really good conditions, and he'll hopefully do himself justice. It was very satisfying to see him win only his second trop onto the European circuit though!"

David attempts to impress coach John Powell, who ponders on the merits of divine intervention!

THE RAIN IN SPAIN...... IS EVERYWHERE!!

2011-06-17T22:39:00.000+01:00

Trackspeed1 wonderkid, David Bolarinwa flew to Spain today to compete in the annual Bilbao classic international, convinced that at last he would be competing ion sunshine and next to no winds. How wrong he could have been!

Arriving in Bilbao earlier this evening, David and coach John Powell were dismayed to see low-lying rain cloud with strong winds swirling around the airport!

"We haven't had decent conditions to compete in all season so far," said John, "so we reckoned a quick foray to Spain would solve that, no problem. Yet we're now praying for a dry day, and hoping temperatures will creep above the 20 mark tomorrow. It really is rather frustrating to say the least!"

The majority of Trackspeed1 will be travelling to Ashford (Kent) for the South of England Championships this weekend, a track that all would rather have avoided.

"The championships have been at Crystal Palace during recent years," explained John, "but they've moved to Ashford this year as apparently there was a problem with availability at the Palace. We were really disappointed, because Ashford is known for its windy straights. and is immensely unpopular with sprinters. With all the options that were open to the SEAA around the south east, it really doesn't add up that they've chosen the far extremity of Kent."

Competing at Ashford will be indoor bronze medalist Jason Hussain in the 200m, along with indoor silver medalist Lawrence Wooldridge. Jack Miller goes in both junior sprints, while Kieron Daley will line up alongside him, with both hoping to further add to lifetime bests over 200m earlier this season.

Matt Threadgold will have high-tailed it down the motorway from Loughborough University to contest the 400m event, while the fastest sprinter Trackspeed1 have ever had, James Ellington, had travelled to Stockholm with the British team competing in the European Teams Championships.

"We were hoping James would get the opportunity to run in a non-match 100m this weekend," said John Powell, "but the decision was made that the team want to get a world top 16 time to qualify for the world championships. The priority was keeping the whole team fresh."

POWELL'S FAMILY TO GROW BY ONE!!

2011-06-15T21:34:00.000+01:00

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell was all smiles this week as he announced that he is to become a father again early in 2012!

"It's very early days indeed at the moment," he said, "but my wife and I were always comfortable with letting the news out as soon as we knew. We've had loads of good wishes from people which is terrific. 2012 is going to be an even bigger year than we thought! Suffice to say, I am absolutley ecstatic at the news, as is my wife."

TRACKSPEED1-2 IS SPOT-ON !

2011-06-12T22:49:00.002+01:00

It simply doesn't get any better at this stage of the season - a squad one-two, in the showpiece race of the meeting at the Bedford International Games on Sunday!

James Ellington - aching for races at world class level, but currently having to settle for domestic bliss with a zero budget - was in a class of his own ahead of current and past internationals in the race of the day. He clocked 10.41 seconds in dreadful conditions, pulling training companion David Bolarinwa (still only 17) into second behind him.

It was a class run - there is nothing else that can be said. He beat everyone, and even afforded the luxury of shutting down well short of the finish line. James is the interloper this year - a real inconvenience to those already ear-marked for World Championship selection, but he is now making it consistently clear that selection for the sprints in the World Championships in Korea in August, will be anything but straight forward this year!

David Bolarinwa - by far the country's best junior sprinter in years, and already being labelled the next Mark Lewis-Francis - was second behind his training partner, clocking 10.52s in the rain. He now travels to a European meeting in Bilbao, Spain on Saturday, confident that there is at the very least a 10.2(lows) ion the tank over 100m.

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell is usually pretty reserved after races, but was screaming after the Bedford showpiece. It wasn't the World final, but he knew a one-two at this level was some achievement:

"I was again impressed with James, but he's got to produce a real time in good conditions. The weather in the UK is so frustrating, it's unbelievable. But it will come. Everyone can see the sort of form he'd in, and he will produce something very special in the very near future.

"David is obviously on terrific form, but again he needs to remain very focussed and realise the real challenge of the year will be in the trials for the European Junior Championships in 2 weeks' time, and then of course in the European Championships themselves.

"The one-two though was absolutely terrific, although we now have to search for a race for James after he comes back from the European Team Championships this weekend. He's in the GB relay team, and has been banned from running as an individual because they want a world top 16 time to quaify for the World Championships. I understand that, but James needs races, and now we have to look for something a week later. It's a challenge because, without funding, flights and travel are a huge problem for him."

The Bedford fixture - held in the cold and pouring wet conditions that created the nightmare for most, let alone the headwinds in the sprints straight, also saw Trackspeed1's Jason Hussain produce a very positive 200m performance. He finished second in his race but had to settle for a very modest 22.22s, with training partner Lawrence Wooldridge a shade behind in 22.23s.

In another 200m race, 17-year-old Edmond Amaning produced an outstanding 22.30 run - his opening race of the season after no fewer than three hamstring injuries in quick succession over the past 3 months,.

John Powell commented: "These were great performances on the conditions, and Edmond was far better than he thought immediately after the race. Lawrence especially should have been heading back south full of confidence."

Now John will fly to Bilbao with David Bolarinwa this weekend, while the rest of the squad contest the South of England Championships, at Ashford, Kent.

"It's a joke having the Southern Championships in Ashford,", said Powell. "Apart form the geography, the conditions there are always poor for sprinters, and there are many more far better options than deepest Kent. But hey, why should the athletes ever matter!"

This weekend also saw the London Schools Championships staged at Battersea Park. Anton Daley took second in the intermediate Boys 100m with a lifetime best 11.1s - pretty impressive given he suffered a cramp twice on the way up the straight! All first 3 finishers were recorded at 11.1s.

ELLINGTON'S BATTLE CRY

2011-06-04T16:42:00.003+01:00

Trackspeed1's reborn world class sprinter James Elliington cannot wait to face the best the planet has to offer! Competing for Great Britain in Regensburg, Germany today, he clocked 10.39s and 10.40s, winning both heat and final in the Sparkassen Gala. Only thing was - both were into a -1.8 and then -3.1m/s headwind!

They were two hugely impressive performances which had the British team management watching in awe as he demolished an international field. The headwinds obviously prevented any spectacular times, but gave the clearest indication yet that James is ready to deliver something very special indeed given the right conditions.

Ellington next goes into action alongside several of his Trackspeed1 training comrades, on the brand new Mondo surface at Bedford, on Sunday (12thJune). The Bedford International Games will provide the next potential forum for the 25-year-old South Londoner to prove that he really has broken through into the ranks of world class athletics this year.

Included in the Bedford line-up will be 24-year-old Jason Hussain, who roared to two of the fastest sprints of his life on Saturday.

While Ellington was undergoing the German experience, Hussain was a little nearer home in Barnet, North London, competing in the British League's opening fixture. He clocked a lifetime's fastest 10.65s in the 100m, but could not record it as a personal best due to the tail wind of +2.6m/s.

The story was the same in the 200m where, despite drawn in lane 8, Jason clocked the second fastest time of his life of 21.33s, but this was again struck from the record books due to the following 2.4m/s tail wind.

"Jason is slowly but surely improving this season towards the form of his life," said coach John Powell. "He had a bit of a hic-cup in training during May, but he has picked up again now, and I would fully expect him to record lifetime bests in both sprints in the very near future."

Looking ahead to the Bedford fixture on Sunday, Powell was extremely upbeat: "We've had a few injury issues this year, but this Sunday represents the first major domestic fixture of the season, and all of our seniors plus a couple of juniors will be there. The fields could be stunning if everyone shows up, so it's game-on, and alot of our guys are in good shape now."

TRACKSPEED TRIO IMPRESS IN AUSTRIA

2011-06-03T07:52:00.004+01:00

Trackspeed1’s party who flew to the Liese Prokop Memorial meeting, in St Polten, Austria yesterday (June 2^nd) may have been a little depleted, but that did not prevent further progress into the 2011 summer season.

David Bolarinwa (17) again impressed with three significant performances which converted to at least as good – if not better – than his lifetime best marks recorded at Bedford for days earlier.

In the 100m heats he recorded 10.42s to win ahead of 10.1 man Ryan Moseley, the Austrian number one senior. Although slower than his lifetime best of 10.29 at Bedford, it was run into a headwind of -1.8m/s.

David Bolarinwa (right) out-dips Austrian number one
Ryan Moseley in the 100m in St Polten.

In the final, he was confronted with Moseley again, determined to exact revenge in front of the home crowd, and the talented Commonwealth Games semi-finalist Adrian Griffth (Bahamas), who romped home to win in 10.28.

David clocked another 10.42 into another headwind of -1.2m/s, while Moseley pipped him for second this time, with a slightly superior 10.36s.

“Both efforts convert to a shade faster than his best performances on Sunday,” explained coach John Powell, “so I am more than satisfied. David is a huge competitor, and although he knows there are areas of his race that need improvement, you can never fault him for effort on any outing.”

David later took part in his first 200m of the season, and recorded 21.35 in second place behind Matthew Mathiau (Bahamas) athlete, who clocked 20.90 into a -1.8m/s headwind - not a bad comparison with an athlete who has run 20.3 in the past and who reached the Olympic Games semi finals in Beijing.

Matt Threadgold should have been well into his season by this stage, but for a hamstring injury, compounded by a groin problem over the last month. He was therefore opening up his 2011 campaign, and succeeded with a second-placed 48.94s 400m effort. With a best of 48.5, this was a more than encouraging performance.

In the 200m races at the end of the meeting, Lawrence Wooldridge added a 21.81s run to his two earlier 100m efforts of 11.08s and 11.00s, both into headwinds, while Threadgold suddenly discovered the penalties of fatigue after early-season 400s, managing only 22.51s in his race, albeit into another headwind.

This weekend, some Trackspeed1 athletes will compete in league competition for their cllubs before the meaty part of the summer kicks in with the Bedford International Games on June 12^th. James Ellington, however, is representing Great Britain in an international meeting in Germany, on Saturday (June 4^th).

DAVID SOUNDS A BATTLE CRY TO EUROPE

2011-05-29T18:10:00.002+01:00

David Bolarinwa showed the rest of Europe he means business this year as he blasted to the fastest 100m time by a junior European in 2011.

David Bolarinwa became the fastest under-20 in Europe
this year, at Bedford on Sunday (29th May)

His 10.29s sprint in the Inter-Counties Championship final was the tenth fastest by any British Junior ever, and made the clearest statement yet that he is a contender for European honours in Tallin, Estonia, in July.

It was nothing short of a sensational day for the 17-year-old from Thamesmead, South East London, with lifetime best performances in every round. He opened up with a 10.38s effort in the heats, aided by the slightest wind of +0.2m/s.

In the semi-final he improved to a fastest ever 10.30, although that won’t go into the record books as the wind gauge failed. His final time though impressed, and the only down side was the disqualification of senior, Deji Tobias, whose early round performances suggested a thrilling finale, but that was not to be after he false started.

A delighted coach John Powell was full of praise for his 17-year-old: “David executed each race well, even though his blocks slipped in the semi-final. And the wonder of these performances is that he will go yet faster – it’s still only May, and the major stuff doesn’t arrive until late June and into July.”

Running equally well when compared with his lifetime best performances, was Trackspeed1’s Jason Hussain. He clocked a fastest ever 10.77s in the heat, and went even faster in the semi-final with 10.74s, although that was slightly wind-assisted.

The surprise package for Jason though, was when he learned that he had edged into the inter-counties final by thousandths’ of second in a blanket finish. He went on to finish fifth behind Bolarinwa’s super run, clocking another 10.77s mark.

Day two of the championships, held on Bedford’s brand new Mondo track, takes place tomorrow (May 30^th) and features the 200m. Hussain goes again, representing Sussex, and Lawrence Wooldridge starts for Kent.

David Bolarinwa in training at Crystal Palace with the high-tech
electronic timer beams that analyse acceleration rates out of blocks -
supplied this time courtesy of Trackspeed1's association with Lucozade.

ELLINGTON'S SCORCHER SETS SEASON ABLAZE!

2011-05-22T22:01:00.003+01:00

Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington went from international to world class as he soared to a blistering 10.12 second 100 metre sprint in the Loughborough University International meeting today (Sunday 22nd).

James Ellington (right in red and white of England) finishes
2 hundredths of a second behind Harry Aikines Aryeetey,
at Loughborough, in a world class 10.12 seconds

It was a performance of sheer class that took the 25-year-old Newham and Essex Beagles ace into the realms of the elite in one classy burst of action, despite a little bit of help from a 3.4m/s following wind. His previous fastest ever over the distance in a career that has already spanned 12 years, was 10.23s, set in Geneva last year, when he tore a hamstring which nearly ended his career.

The Loughborough race marked the completion of an outstanding comeback from that desperate day when the future had looked so bleak. Now, James can potentially look forward to his best ever season, although coach John Powell was quick to add words of caution:

"It was a fantastic performance by James," he said, "and a massive breakthrough mentally as much as anything else. But it's early days and we can't get carried away, even though it was pretty tempting to scream from the rooftops when I heard his time!"

Ellington was beaten in the race by former World Junior Champion Harry Aikines Aryeetey, who edged home in front in 10.10s, although James was annoyed he didn't take the race himself:

"I tightened up over the last 10 metres when all I had to do was keep running, and I would have beaten him," he said, "but that's fine - I know now the sort of form I'm in - the best of my life - and this has been a great confidence booster."

Ellington, representing the England national team, was drawn in lane five right next-door to junior training partner David Bolarinwa, who was representing British Juniors. David, the fastest under-18 in the world last year over the distance, also ran the fastest time of his life thanks to the following wind, timing 10.32s.

"It was a strange environment for David," said John Powell, "because he's used to being in front or more or less in front as a junior. But here he had the unique experience of coping with international level seniors, and he dealt with it really well, although his blocks need some work still."

Ellington's run took him across the line ahead of top sprints names including Marlon Devonish and Craig Pickering, with Bolarinwa fifth in the same race.

The 200m races were not quite as kind to Trackspeed1 athletes, although Jason Hussain bettered his season's best time by a hundredth of a second with a 21.45s effort from lane eight, while Lawrence Wooldridge slipped to a disappointing 21.81s in his race.

"It's still early days," said John Powell, "and inconsistent performances are not uncommon. It's just important that, if you don't perform as well as you hoped, you take the positives from the race, and then put it away and move on. The squad is in great shape this year, and I know there are going to be alot more terrific breakthroughs."

In separate league matches, Powell's words were already coming true, as Kieran Daley and Jack Miller both posted lifetime best performances in the 200m.

TRACKSPEED 5 READY FOR INTERNATIONAL ACTION!

2011-05-21T10:58:00.000+01:00

Trackspeed1 have five athletes competing at the Loughborough international meeting to be held at the university's track tomorrow (Sunday 22nd May).

James Ellington (centre) leads the way in his first 2011 outing inthe UI.S.
last month, with Jason Hussain (outside left) and Lawrence EWooldridge
(black vest right) in pursuit

The annual curtain-raiser to the domestic season sees James Ellington selected to represent the England national side, while 17-year-old David Bolarinwa takes the single berth in the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Junior team. Both will contest the 100m and sprint relay.

Elsewhere, lanes have been awarded to Dwayne Grant who is entered for both the 100m and 200m, while both Lawrence Wooldridge and Jason Hussain go in the 200m.

It will be an interesting battle between the latter two. Jason set one of his fastest ever 200m marks in the U.S. recently of 21.46, and Lawrence came within an inch of his best with a 21.54 run in a second meeting, which saw Jason beaten in the same race.

Elsewhere the squad's younger athletes are due to compete for their clubs in various local league matches, but coach John Powell was quick to warn that it's still very early days:

"The majority of the group are in terrific shape, which is great given the winter we have had, but nobody should be thinking about peaking yet. Nothing we have done has been intended to p[roduce the ultimate best [out of people until later in the season.

"Unless you are aiming for the World Championships, in Korea in August/September, it's a short season of barely 12-14 weeks, so it's important that we produce top performances at the right time, and this group have a history of doing just that, so we'll see!"

TRACKSPEED1 BACK FROM STATESIDE PREP'

2011-05-14T11:51:00.005+01:00

Trackspeed1 take time out for a quick photo-call before leaving
their warm weather training base in Florida.

Trackspeed1 athletes fly back to the UK this weekend after a month's pre-season training in the United States which, says coach John Powell, sees his squad return to home shores in great shape! They have spent the last four weeks training at the ESPN Wide World of Sports, in Orlando, Florida.

Their first competition will, in most cases, be the Loughborough international on Sunday 22nd after a week's recovery work back at their Crystal Palace base.

"It's been a terrific trip this year," said John, speaking from their Florida base shortly before starting out on the return journey. "The seniors who travelled out with us made the most of both the training opportunity and the competitions we went to. We also this year had a number of younger guys here, who have really grown both as athletes and individuals. Personal bests have been mixed in with some really promising times in training, and I honestly can't wait for the season to get going now."

It was certainly a huge opportunity for some of the younger athletes in Florida who, along with their senior counterparts, enjoyed the benefits of training alongside US coach Brooks Johnson's squad, including former Olympic and World Champion sprinter Justin Gatlin.


John Powell ives video feedback to former Olympic and World Gold medalist, Justin Gatlin, at the ESPN track.

All the athletes in Florida return with competition plans already discussed and documented with their coach , and highlights will centre on fixtures like the South of England Championships, the Bedford International Games, the European Under-20 and under-23 trials, subsequent European Championships, and then World Championship trials.

World number one under-18 over 100m last year, David Bolarinwa, will be among the favourites for selection for the European Junior Championships in Tallin, Estonia, in July, while Dwayne Grant, and James Ellington head the senior challenge. In the under-23 age-group, Lawrence Wooldridge (200m) and Matt Threadgold (400m) could figure well in national finals.

RELAY RECORD SPARKS SERIOUS EARLY PROMISE

2011-05-06T04:33:00.006+01:00

Trackspeed1 shattered their own squad 4x100m relay record in Florida yesterday (Thursday 5th May) with a blistering 40.12s performance - so impressive that only British national teams would have beaten it last year!

The quartet of Dwayne Grant, Jason Hussain, David Bolarinwa and James Ellington had far from perfect changes too, showing a sub-40-second performance was easily on the cards, as they cruised to victory at the University of Central Florida 'Golden Knights Twilight" meeting.

The squad's B-team of Omardo Anson (17), Lawrence Wooldridge (21), Ellis Zorro (18) and Josh Atille (16) were second across the line in a hugely impressive 42.50s.

James Ellington makes off on the home leg of the
record-breaking 4x100m relay at UCF with third man
David Bolarinwa handing over the baton. The B-team
with Lawrence Wooldridge homing in on Josh Atille
are in hot pursuit.

The race sparked some outstanding performances individually too, making the squad's pre-season programme one of their most successful to date. The leading performance was a wind-legal 100m sprint from James Ellington, who clocked a superb 10.42s in second place overall.

In the second heat 17-year-old David Bolarinwa served up an equally impressive 10.49s run, aided by a wind speed of +2.4s - just over the legal limit - but as the fourth fastest time of his life, it was the most encouraging sign possible for he and coach John Powell.

David Bolarinwa bursts through the 100m to his fourth
fastest ever time with Lawrence Wooldridge to his right.

"James didn't get the greatest of starts," said John, "and David wasn't the quickest over the early stages, but that's fine because that is normal for this stage of the year. The speed is there - now we simply have to work on the detail to spice up potential lifetime bests later in the season."

The most impressive of the squad's other junior athletes was 17-year-old Omardo Anson, who improved his 11.31 100m 5 days earlier to 11.12 in winning his heat, and then went on to record a lifetime's best 22.34s over 200m - some half a second faster than ever before.

Omardo Anson (far right) on his way to the first of two sprint victories
at UCF, seen here in the 100m

"Omardo ran outstandingly well," said John, "and he really grew as an athlete today. He's one of the most inexperienced athletes we have, but his speed of learning is frightening at the moment."

Lawrence Wooldridge was also very much on-song in the 200m, clocking the second-fastest time of his life with 21.54s, ahead of Jason Hussain who timed 21.88s. This came after a fastest ever 100m where he took fourth in a rapid race, clocking 10.74s, albeit aided by the 2.4m/s breeze.

Omardo Anson (6) on his way to his fastest ever 200m, with Trackspeed1
athletes Ellis Zorro (4) and Josh Atille (3) to his left.

Full results are contained within the squad rankings lists displayed on this website (see link on right side of home page).

Lawrence Wooldridge (2) hit form in the 200m and is seen here
storming to victory with Trackspeed1's Jason Hussain in second.

SPRINTERS RUB SHOULDERS WITH U.S. ELITE

2011-05-02T20:31:00.000+01:00

Trackspeed1 sprinters trained with some of the elite in American sprinting talent today (Monday 2nd May), as they joined U.S.-based training advisor Brooks Johnson for a workout at ESPN Wide World of Sports track.

Seventeen-year-old David Bolarinwa found himself in the next lane to the fastest sprint hurdler in the world, David Oliver, while Dwayne Grant and James Ellington sandwiched European and Commonwealth Champion Andy Turner. 16-year-old Josh Atille was also awarded a lane in the session as reward for his dedication and hard work to date on their pre-season programme.

"We are hugely indebted to Brooks for letting us mix in with his world class squad of athletes," enthused Trackspeed1 coach John Powell. "It's a huge opportunity and learning experience for many of our guys, and a priceless learning opportunity for me too,"

Some snaps of the training session held in the intense heat of the Florida sun, appear hereunder...

David Oliver (right), the fastest sprint hurdler in the world, with
David Bolarinwa, the fastest under-18 in the world, at ESPN Sports today

Josh Atille gets out in lane 2, with Trackspeed1's Dwayne Grant in 4,
James Ellington in 6, and David Bolarinwa in 8.

USA sprints guru Brooks Johnson briefs the Trackspeed1 quartet
before their workout. The rules were simple - false start, and you
run 400 metres; flase start twice, and you run 400 metres again!
Nobody false started!!

On their marks and set to go! Josh Atille in lane 2, with Dwayne Grant
in 5, James Ellington in 6, Andy Turner in 7, David Bolarinwa in 8,
and David Oliver in 9

David Bolarinwa ends his session with one final solo effort under the
watchful eye of UK coach Lloyd Cowan, who was in town as coach to
Andy Turner.

"SEASON'S OPENER IS OUR BEST YET"

2011-05-01T13:55:00.005+01:00

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell described his squad's opening competition in the United States, where they are currently training, as "the best yet", as they returned from the annual Lake Brantley meeting.

Josh Atille (green vest) on his way to a heat-winning lifetime's fastest 200m at Lake Brantley on Saturday (30th April)

One lifetime best on day one of what will be a season packed with action, combined with the fastest ever starts for most. Leading the way was the youngest member of the group, 16-year-old Josh Atille, who cracked his fastest ever 200m with a 22.74s run to win his heat.

His performance earned praise from coach and fellow athletes alike, after the first two weeks of their pre-season training has seen him transform from a club level competitor to a highly disciplined and focussed young athlete.

In the senior races, Jason Hussain was beaten by James Ellington, who broke his own meeting record with a strong 21.21s performance, which could have been even faster had he been pushed in the latter stages of the race. Hussain timed one of his fastest ever outdoor 200's with 21.46s. Lawrence Wooldridge was third in the same race with 21.94s.

James Ellington (lane 6) leads the field on his way to a new meeting
record in the 200m, with Jason Hussain in hot pursuit outside him in lane 8

"These performances were even better than they may look at first," said John, "because this meeting has no timetable and it is impossible to guess when exactly to warm up. We were stuck in 90-plus degree heat with no shelter, and as in previous years had alot of hanging around to do with dozens of younger races being set off beforehand. The heat was really draining on everyone."

Earlier in the day, Dwayne Grant pulled himself together to produce his fastest opener for a few years, despite suffering from a heavy cold. His 10.54s was impressive, and won the meeting overall, with David Bolarinwa winning his heat with the second fastest time of the day of 10.69s.

In other races, Omardo Anson ran creditably to produce an 11.31s 100m, and Ellie Doel completed her 200m in 27.25s. Winds on the day were measured at virtually zero for every race. Details can be found on the squad rankings page of this website.

Trackspeed1 now have a brief return to training before their second competition of the trip, at the University of Central Florida, on Thursday. And for Josh Atille, that will mean an incredible experience of training out of blocks with leading US sprints guru, Brooks Johnson, and his world class squad of athletes.

"Brooks is a great friend of this squad," said John Powell, " and we always have a couple of athletes do a session or two with his group. It's a great learning experience for athletes as well as coach. Not many British sprinters can say that they have trained alongside the likes of Xavier Carter, Justin Gatlin, and David Oliver!"

TS1 READY FOR SEASON OPENER

2011-04-26T19:13:00.002+01:00

Things are going so well at the squad's pre-season training base in Florida, coach John Powell can barely dare look ahead to his squad's opening competition this Saturday.

"Training times are rarely reproduced in competition," he said, "but if you compare them with how people were running a year ago, we have a group of athletes here who are heading toward a potentially great summer season."

The one low point for the group was this morning (Tuesday 26th) when England Schools international, Edmond Amaning, pulled up with a hamstring strain for the third time in ten weeks, but the remainder are very positive.

Their opening competition is at the Florida Gliders' Spring Classic, at Lake Brantley High School track, north of Orlando, on Saturday. The squad entry for this meeting is as follows:

100m

Dwayne Grant

(L-R): Ellis Zorro, Omardo Anson and Josh Atille in training
at the ESPN facility, in Orlando, Florida

David Bolarinwa

Edmond Amaning (Withdrawn)

Omardo Anson

200m

Jason Hussain

James Ellington

Dwayne Grant

Ellis Zorro

Edmond Amaning (Withdrawn)

Matthew Threadgold

Joshua Atille

Lawrence Wooldridge

Ellie Doel

The squad may also enter two 4x100m relay teams and possibly a 4x400m quartet.

Trackspeed1 have a full programme from the Brantley meeting on. They return to training straight away the day after, and have sessions on the Monday and Tuesday as well, before a recovery day prior to their next competition.

On Thursday May 5th, everyone will travel north east of Orlando to the University of Central Florida and compete in their annual Twilight meeting, hoping that this year it does not get cancelled due to electrical storms as was the case last year.Then its training for their final eight days in the States before returning to home shores and the season proper.

David Bolarinwa, 17, the fastest under-18 in the world last year, is
recapturing his form in theStates after a hamstring problem interrupted
his winter preparations.

TRACKSPEED1 SET TO IMPRESS

2011-04-21T19:15:00.000+01:00

Trackspeed1 are spending a month in Florida, USA, training at the
impressive ESPN complex.

Trackspeed1 have taken 11 athletes some four thousand or so miles south west to the luxury town of Orlando, Florida, where their four-week training camp is already seeing some massive lifetime best marks being set in training.

The group ranges from 16-year-old Josh Atille, to 28-year-old Dwayne Grant, and none of those in between are dragging their feet now they have hit the sun!

Their winter training had been close to a nightmare at times with the British weather confining the group to the indoor straight at Crystal Palace, but as the cold snap passed, performances improved, and now coach John Powell is hoping this is the start of things to come this summer:

"There isn't an athlete out here who is under-performing," he said, " and whilst I wouldn't put pressure on individuals by predicting their future at this stage, I really couldn't be asking for alot more so far.

"In training rep's on the track we have had PB's al over the place and, although it's my hand timing, and way short of official, it's all leading to a really upbeat trip this time round."

The group open their competitive season on Saturday April 30th when they compete at the Florida Gliders Spring Classic meeting at the Lake Brantley High School facility, in Orlando, and then move on to the University of Central Florida meeting on Thursday 5th May.

"Opening marks are always interesting," said John, "but they rarely represent what an athlete is really going to produce at his or her peak later in the summer. IT's good feedback for me though, and we are really looking forward to getting off the mark now."

The athletes training in Florida are: James Ellington, Joshua Atille, Ellis Zorro, Ellie Doel, Dwayne Grant, Jason Hussain, David Bolarinwa, Edmond Amaning, Omardo Anson, Matthew Threadgold, and Lawrence Wooldridge, with therapist Greg' Funnell.

POWELL HIITS 35 !

2011-04-16T22:32:00.000+01:00

Today (April 16th) marks the 35th anniversary of Trackspeed1 coach John Powell taking his first coaching exam at the very venue he has coached at for every one of those three and a half decades - Crystal Palace!

Aged 17, John was verbally examined by Linford Christie's coach, Ron Roddan for his then 'Assistant Club Coach' badge, blissfully unaware at the time what a massive impact on his life - and that of countless aspiring athletes - his role as a coach would have.

Since that auspicious day in 1976, many names have passed through his hands, or have been recruited to the sport during his time as one of the most successful youth team managers in the country with Blackheath and later on Belgrave Harriers. Joice Maduaka, Phillips Idowu and Chris Lambert will be the better known names of recent years, but the number of athletes graduating from club to international level through his Trackspeed1 squad - so named only a few years ago - exceed all but the most senior coaches in the UK.

"I simply can't imagine life not being a coach," said John, who is a Police Superintendent in the Metropolitan Police, "and I reckon I'll be doing even more of it later this year. To say time flies is a cliché, but it really does, and after 30 years in the Police this year, I can retire on a full pension. My athletes won't know what's hit them when I get all that free time!"

John's CV as a coach is attached to this website, and it is clear that is efforts have not been restricted to these shores. His link with Harvard University through graduate athlete Chris Lambert were cemented with an appointment to their casual coaching staff, and his links and partnerships with individuals and groups all over the globe have made Trackspeed1 a brand unto itself.

"It's no secret that it has been a very sore point when it comes to athletes moving on," said John. "I've never really learned to take those sort of knocks on the chin, and I still get riled when it's clear that outside forces have been at work. Athletes here get a seriously good deal, but the grass is so often made to appear greener. But very few sprinters have ever improved after leaving, which surely counts for something. That's why I hold such respect for athletes like James Ellington, who moved to another coach, but was big enough to admit it wasn't working, and come back. And now he's setting PB's again!

"The job satisfaction from coaching is unique, and it's incredibly addictive. But coaches in track and field are hugely under-rated - few people outside the sport see the trials and tribulations we have to suffer for the sake of success."

A production company are shadowing John and his squad this year with a view to producing a documentary film on what lies behind success on the track. Supported by Adidas, it promises to link his Policing role, the Met-Track scheme he founded in 2005, and a number of the athletes in his squad. Set against the background of London as the Olympic city in 2012, it will graphically illustrate just how tough it is to reach the top.

GOODBYE CRUEL WINTER

2011-04-09T12:55:00.001+01:00

It's been a winter many Trackspeed1 athletes will want to be forgetting as the warmer temperatures at last hit home shores.

Hamstring injuries have been a huge problem for coach John Powell's charges - so much so that he is looking to review his entire programme at the end of the year with other coaches and advisors both at home and abroad.

"I can't believe how many athletes have had hamstring issues this winter," he said, "but I have to say that in most cases, I am completely satisfied that a lack of strength and conditioning on the part of the athlete - and/or careless management of recovery periods during training - are the main root causes.

"We had quite a few younger athletes join what was essentially a senior group last summer, and unfortunately they have chosen to learn their trade at this far higher level the hard way - despite many warnings from me. But we're pretty much good to go now - summer beckons, and those athletes going warm wather training are gearing up for a great trip."

About half the squad travel to Florida for a mnth's pre-season preparation on Sunday (April 17th) where they will use the ESPN Wide World of Sport facilities that outstrip the comparatively miserable surroundings they have had to tolerate during the winter. Tjose athletes not travellling will be hoping for some scceptable UK weather after a winter nightmare that saw the entire squad programme suspended for a week atone stage.


Trackspeed1 athletes train in Florida last year: they will compete in 2 meetings while there, and field a squad relay team who will target the hugely impressive 40.69s mark set four years ago!

"This was the worst winter I can remember in a long time," said john, "with snow in November preventing me or the group even getting to Crystal palace, and consistently freezing temperatures making runs in trainng further than 80 metres indoors virtually impossible.

"We've missed out on a bit of speed endurance as a result, but I have to say everyone has knuckled down well this last few weeks, put plenty of fuel in the tank, and we are beginning to look in reasonable shape for summer. These next four weeks will be hugely defining, and anyone not working seriously hard will be left very disappointed when the majors come round this season."

Trackspeed1's final full get-together in the UK will be on Saturday April 16th - fittingly exactly 35 years to the day aince John took his first ever coaching exam with Linford Christie's coach Ron Roddan - on the very track they will train on that day - at Crystal Palace!

SO NEAR YET SO FAR FOR PLUCKY JAMES

2011-02-20T21:22:00.001Z

James Ellington could have come no closer to his first ever Grand Prix final on Saturday (19th) as he crossed the line one hundredth of a second behind third-placed Craig Pickering in his heat.

James clocked 6.72 seconds - one of his fastest ever 60m sprints, although it was inferior to his lifetime best set just seven days earlier of 6.69s.

It was a heat packed with drama with the front three automatically through to the final, and a desperate Pickering throwing himself at the line to edge out his rival. And behind them was the fast-fading Mark Lewis-Francis who pulled up short with what looked like quite a nasty groin injury.

James Ellington (nearside) misses out on the Grand
Prix 60m final by one hundredth of a second,
in Birmingham, as captured by photo-finish
technology.

"Craig rotated his right shoulder and that is the only reason he got the nod," said coach John Powell. "It's ironic because James has been under strict orders never to twist round on the line, as that was a major contributor to his serious hamstring tear last June."

Ellington now returns to winter training after a few days of low key recovery work, having completed what many coaches have described as a miraculous comeback from his injury in Geneva last year.

Meanwhile, another Trackspeed1 sprinter, Matt Threadgold, was competing in the British University Championships, in Sheffield. He was rounding off what had already been an outstandingly successful indoor season for him, with lifetime best times over 60m, 200m and his specialist distance of 400m.

In Sheffield he drew a nightmare lane two in the heats, and it looked as if it might be all over before it began, but incredibly he won the race in 22.47s to reach the semi-final.

In the semi, he drew lane four, and improved to 22.29s, but failed to qualify for the final in second place after a poor first bend left him too much to do.

Matt was far from done though, and subsequently put in an outstanding relay leg in the 4 x 200m final, taking Loughborough University to gold with an astonishing split time recorded as 20.1 seconds.

ELLINGTON CHASES THE BIG PRIZE!

2011-02-19T09:58:00.001Z

Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington is having one last go at chasing the big prize of another indoor 60 metres persoal best today (Saturday 19th).

James becomes the first ever Trackspeed1 athlete to take part in an indoor Grand Prix. He contests the 60m alongside Britain's best sprinting talent as well as some of the leading sprinters from around the world.

Ellington recorded his fastes time to date at Shefield last weekend during the UK Championships - 6.69 seconds.

HUSSAIN DRIVEN ROUND THE BEND!

2011-02-13T22:27:00.000Z

Day two of the UK Championships saw both 200m sprinters reach finals, although Jason Hussain's first ever national final quite literally drove him around the bend!

A vastly improved 21.64s heat time compared with earlier season form was three hundredths of a second off the race winner, but that fraction of time meant that he was drawn in the dreaded lane one for the main final.

"I really would have loved to have been one place slower," he said, "because then I would have been relegated to the B final and got lane 6. As it was though, I did get to my first ever individual national championship final, so I guess that's a line for the CV!"

Hussain battled well with the tight bends, but was never going to impact on the leaders who enjoyed the benefits of a far wider turn, and finished sixth in 22.29s.

Jason Hussain prepares to battle with the dreaded inside bend in the final
of the UK Trials and Championships, in Sheffield

The second Trackspeed1 athlete in action was Lawrence Wooldridge, who impressed with an indoor lifetime's fastest time indoors of 21.74s in the heat, earning himself a berth in the B final. Both runs were from lane 4 with the final seeing him clock 21.85s.

"Both lads did themselves proud," commented coach John Powell afterwards, "and they should be giving themselves a pat on the back for producing top performances when it matters - at a national championship."

The indoor season is all but over now for Trackspeed1, with James Ellington the last senior to be in action - he will go in the Birmingham Grand Prix on Saturday (19th) over 60m where he will hope to take advantage of a notoriously fast track to further improve his lifetime best mark of 6.69s. The younger athletes in the squad context their national championships at the same venue a week later.

ELLINGTON IS THE COMEBACK KING!

2011-02-12T18:23:00.001Z

Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington completed one of the most spectacular comebacks ever in athletics this weekend (12th Feb), as he soared to a lifetime's fastest 60 metres, in the UK Championships, in Sheffield.

Barely seven months ago his whole athletics career hung by a thread, after a horrendous hamstring injury in Geneva threatened to end an illustrious track record spanning 12 years.

Ellington, now 25, clocked 6.69s in the semi-final at the English Institute of Sport - the second time he has improved his lifetime best this winter. Although his sixth placing in the final was a disappointment compared with what he promised, he won many plaudits by the fact he was there at all.

Coach John Powell was upset with the final, but not because the athlete under-performed: "James deserved far better than that after the work he has put in this last few months," he said, "and both he and I know he is capable of running far faster. But the perspective is that he has gone from being unable to walk 7 months ago, to one of the country's top 60m sprinters again, and that is nothing short of totally phenomenal."

National coach Tony Hadley commented: "The boy did well - I remember the injury in Geneva - it's amazing he's back at this sort of level so quickly. Incredible"

Mentor coach Clarence Calendar said: "He's going to fly over 100m. It's great he's back so quickly - many athletes in the past have had serious injuries like that and have taken more than a year to get back to even vaguely good form."

Ellington clocked a cool 6.76s in the heat, cruising most of the way, and taking second behind Mark Lewis-Francis, and was sixth in the final with 6.72 after his best ever run in the semi. He now looks toward the Grand Prix next Saturday as a likely final curtain on his indoor season, and that could be impressive too as he takes to the fastest track in the country in Birmingham!

Day two (Sunday 13th) will see Trackspeed1's Jason Hussain and Lawrence Wooldridge take to the indoor boards over 200 metres. The squad's indoor season will close in 2 weeks with the England age-group championships. Powell will be enthused for the summer though. With indoor pb's in abundance, and four of his top sprinters abstaining due to injury niggles, this summer could develop into one of the most successful yet!

SHEFFIELD BECKONS

2011-02-11T21:13:00.001Z

Trackspeed1 will have all eyes on Sheffield this weekend with three of its most talented stars in action in the European Championship trials, to be held in the English Institute of Sport venue in Yorkshire.

James Ellington will lead the squad's line-up as a classic fly in the ointment for the normal sprint stars, after his superb second place in the Lee Valley London games final a couple of weeks ago. After his victory over the likes of Harry Akinees Arietee and Craig Pickering he will be confident of a really positive performance in Sheffield.

Jason Hussain has been showing some very encouraging repetitions in training recvently which suggests that he could spring a surprise int he 200m, while training colleague Lawrence Wooldridge has been running so well, this comparative unknown on the national scene could make a name for himself.

Trackspeed1's Matthew Threadgold would have competed in the 400m, after a fantastic pb of 48.50 midweek over 400m, but he has decided to prioritise the British Universities Championships next week. And Dwayne Grant would have been a further competitor had it not been for a groin strain that has forced him to shelve his indoor season.

"I've never been so positive over an indoor season," said Trackspeed1 coach John Powell. "Our guys are in serious form and could really turn heads this weekend. It's a pity the likes of Dwayne and Matt aren;'t going to be here, but that's life, and it all points toward a really super summer season."

ELLINGTON IN THE FORM OF HIS LIFE

2011-01-30T23:20:00.005Z

Trackspeed1's James Ellington made a very clear declaration of intent at the London Indoor Games on Sunday (30th January) as he powered to a lifetime's fastest 6.70m 60m sprint.

He left in his wake some of the most established British International sprinters, including Harry Aikines Arieetyey and Craig Pickering, as he made it clear his intentions with the European Championships in Paris in the not-so-distant horizon in March.

Add caption

Ellington''s first round 6.74s run - his second fastest ever over the distance, was a warning to his rivals that he is well and truly back from the serious hamstring injury last June that threatened his career, and the under-23 European gold medalist lived up to expectations in round two with a superb lifetime's best 6.70s performance.

Coach John Powell was of course delighted with his protegee's efforts, and was quick to highlight that his achievements had been reached the hard way:

"James has been off funding and any kind of support for years," said Powell, "and he has had to fight back to form without any kind of support. The athletes who have had medical and financial support throughout recent years were staring at his backside this afternoon, and that is a very satisfying feeling!

"James is a world class athlete, and he is on the brink of proving that. He ripped his hamstring last June and we were all terrified that it might just be a step too far to come back from, but James is one of the most determined athletes I have ever coached. He rightly has immense self belief, and he has massive talent, and is potentially one of the most under-estimated athletes in track and field."

Catford-born Ellington, now living in Addiscombe, Croydon, recently became a father and had 3-month-old daughter India at the Lee Valley complex for moral support, along with other family members.

"James has had a massive few months," said John Powell. "He has become a dad for the first time (and boy, has he taken to that well) and he has got back from a potentially career-terminating hamstring injury to the form of his life. I've been working with him for all but 2 years of the last 12, and seeing him at last break through to the senior elite where he belongs will mean the world to me, let alone himself."

Trackspeed1 sprinters in action at Lee Valley chalked up further lifetime bests (see rankings lists on this website). Jason Hussain shaved a hundredth off his fastest ever 60m with 7.11s, while Omardo Anson put the jet lag of his return from the States a few days earlier behind him to equal his best ever 60m mark of 7.05s.

On day one, Omari Carr-Miller fluffed his lines on the second lap of his 400m event, getting boxed in for much of the second half of his race, but still managed to squeeze home in a lifetime's fastest indoor time of 50.89s.

"Apart from the injuries we have suffered, this has been a superb indoor season so far," said Powell. I just wish that those of our lads who have learned life the hard way could have been part of this season. The likes of Tunde Judun, Edmond Amaning, David Bolarinwa, and Ellis Zorro could have combined to make this an absolutely amazing winter season.

"One day," he continued, "athletes will realize (maybe!) that conditioning and strength work really are essential in preventing injury and preparing an athlete to run fast, especially during the cold winter months. But we have a fantastic squad, and I just know that, in 2011, we are going to seriously turn heads!"

The next significant date in the Trackspeed1 diary is the European Indoor Championship Trials, i Sheffield, in 2 weeks' time on February 12/13th, when the likes of James Ellington, Dwayne Grant, Jason Hussain, Lawrence Wooldridge and others will be in action.

TRACKSPEED1 PAIR IMPRESS STATESIDE

2011-01-23T22:17:00.002Z

Two Trackspeed1 athletes fly back over the Atlantic this week after highly satisfactory competitive debuts on the indoor circuit in America.

Omari Carr-Miller (yellow top) is pipped for first at the Harvard
University indoor track meeting in the U.S. on Sunday (23rd)

Both Omari Carr-Miller (16) and Omardo Anson (17) brushed aside senior men's opposition at the annual Boston Track Club Invitational meet, at Harvard University.

While temperatures plummeted to minus 18 outside, the British pair were in red hot form inside on a circuit not known for producing fast times.

In the 400m Omari finished second of an overall field of 55 athletes, clocking his second-fastest ever time indoors of 51.14s. He found himself behind at the bell, but implemented his coach's instructions perfectly with a brisk overtake on the back straight to lead into the final bend. He was caught only in the final 20m home stretch.

Omardo Anson was taking part in his second ever track meeting, having joined Trackspeed1 in the Autumn after referral from John Powell's Met-Track scheme. His first ever trip around 200m indoors resulted in a superb 22.72 second effort, beaten only by one athlete who ran in a different heat.

Omardo also contested the 60m, but clocked a disappointing 7.23s. Although he won his heat, he was adjudged to have been two one thousandths of a second slower than the eighth fastest man, and hence missed out on the opportunity to rectify things with a second outing in the lunchtime final.

Omardo Anson at his marks in the 200m. These meetings in the
United States don't allow the use of blocks , making his performance
all the more impressive!

"Omardo is developing fast," said coach John Powell, "and he is definitely a prospect for the future. He needs alot more experience though, and needs also to develop his all-round strength, but all that will come in time.

"Omari ran a virtually perfect race tactically. He didn't panic when he couldn't quite get the lead at the bell, and bided his time until the back straight. But I think that overtake, combined with a draw in lane 2 on the first lap, drained him a little, and he got overhauled just short of the line. It was a great run though."

POWELL'S STATESIDE WARNING AS INJURIES MOUNT

2011-01-21T16:19:00.003Z

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell has fired a fierce warning to his athletes 4000 miles across the Atlantic from his current Boston base.

As news reached him of another injury to one of his sprinters, he again repeated what he has been warning all winter – condition or take the consequences!

John Powell at Harvard University track with former Trackspeed1 and
Harvard graduate, Chris Lambert's, record marks proudly etched on
their history board.

Edmond Amaning is the latest TS1 sprinter to injure his hamstring and early indications are that the recovery period could be quite lengthy.

“Edmond has opted out of gym work for reasons best known to himself,” said Powell, “and this is despite almost weekly warnings, and examples like David Bolarinwa who also suffered an injury recently. I fail to see what else I have to do to get the message across. The level these guys want to train at demands a high level of basic fitness, and a strong body. Without that, the risks of injury are sky high.”

Powell hopes to arrange an urgent assessment for Amaning so as to minimise the length of time he will need to rehabilitate but, whilst some athletes are going from strength to strength as the indoor season gets into full swing, the TS1 injury list gets no shorter.

Currently David Bolarinwa is approaching a rapid return to full fitness after a hamstring problem, but Ellis Zorro (hamstring), and Edmond Amaning have prematurely terminated their indoor competition plans.

Other athletes who have been on the injured list over the past month or so include Ellie Doel, Tunde Judun, and Kwame Francis, with Tunde still facing a lengthy course of rehabilitation before he can resume full training.

On the positive side, though, Trackspeed1’s overall indoor picture is a positive one. Medals or PB’s for Lawrence Wooldridge, Jason Hussain, Samuel Adeyemi, Kieron Daley and Anton Daley sparked success on day one of the indoor season, while James Ellington, Dwayne Grant, and Danny Doyley all gave indications of their capabilities over the next few weeks.

South of England Champion Anton Daley is back in action this weekend at Lee Valley in the London Indoor Games agegroup event, while most of the rest of the squad compete in the senior events next weekend 29/30^th January.

Omari Carr-Miller (left) and Omardo Anson are with coach John Powell
at Harvard University, USA this week.

Stateside, John Powell is reviving his relationship with Harvard University again, with TS1 members Omardo Anson and Omari Carr-Miller. Both have trained at the university’s six-star indoor facility, while Omari has been hosted as a potential student in two years’ time. This Sunday they both compete in the Boston Track Club's meeting, at Harvard, where Omardo will contest the 60m and 200m, while Omari runs in the 200m and 400m. They return to the UK on Tuesday.

DALEY CALMS POWELL FURY

2011-01-16T19:46:00.005Z

The youngest sprinter in Trackspeed1's ranks this year had the last say at the South of England AA indoor Championships at the weekend as the squad underlined their massive potential this year.

Anton groups together with fellow medalists
after his 60m victory

The 16-year-old Blackheath and Bromley Harrier shattered his previous lifetime best over 60 metres of 7.37 with a golden 7.12s performance, which saw him on top of the rostrum as under-17 Champion, at Lee Valley Athletics Centre. But it was not without controversy.

Coach John Powell let rip at the starting team after a fifth false start was ignored, and all but cost Daley his title. And that was after they had wrongly disqualified James Ellington in the senior semi finals as it was seen on film afterwards that the athlete next to him was the first to move!

"Either there was an eyesight problem in the senior race, or there was at the very least doubt," said Powell, "and they red carded the wrong athlete. Unless they are convinced, they should not red card anyone. I thought it was James, I must admit, but I was miles away, and the film afterwards was conclusive. In the under-17 final even other officials agreed it was a false start, meaning rank incompetence almost destroyed a 16-year-old's dreams."

Anton proudly displays his gold medal after becoming the
fastest under-17 60m sprinter in the UK this year.

Daley's elder brother Kieron (18) also dismissed his lifetime best over 60m of 7.23, with a fine 7.15 in the semi-final of the under-20's event.

Also in the under-20's Omardo Anson celebrated his first ever competition in the sport with a 7.05s best time over the three rounds, with fifth place in the final at the close. Having been recruited through his coach's Met-Track scheme, he immediately placed himself as yet another real future prospect to watch as he develops as an athlete.

The senior races looked as if they could see three Trackspeed1 representatives in the final after three first places in the first round. It wasn't to be, although there was some pretty nifty running anyway. Danny Doyley raced for the first time in almost two years clocking a modest 7.01s narrowly missing out on a semi-final place, while Dwayne Grant made the final, but unfortunately failed to make an impression with a mysteriously sudden loss of form.

James Ellington was recognised as the in-form athlete though, and his 6.82s second round performance was one of the fastest times of the day.

"James is in form and he knows it," said Powell, "and he was running with a streaming cold anyway, but he will take alot of beating this year under normal circumstances. He is a class act and is bang on target for a really good year. Dwayne has been training like a man possessed, and I'm really not sure what went wrong in the final, but he and I and everyone knows he is worth far far better than his final suggested."

Ellington reduced his 100m time to 10.23s last summer but tore a hamstring in the process, which terminated his season before it had really begun. Since that travesty, the 25-year-old who has just switched clubs from Belgrave to Newham, and who became a father for the first time in November, has been on a mission to prove himself - and on this showing, will do just that this year.

The other TS1 athlete in action in the 60m was Samuel Adeyemi, normally seen contesting the 400m, who ran a best ever 7.20s in the heats for the the third consecutive race!

Jason Hussain (left) and Lawrence Wooldridge grabbed two of the three
medals in the 200m at Lee Valley on day 1.

In the 200m competitions, Lawrence Wooldridge impressed again after a superb lifetime best 400 a week earlier. He took silver in the senior final ahead of training partner Jason Hussain in third. He clocked his fastest ever indoor time of 21.82 with a classy performance that lines him up for further lifetime bests outdoors later this year.

Hussain was hugely impressive as he switched on the afterburners on the back straight in both heat and semi, but easing down in first place in the semi-final cost him a sub-22s time and a decent lane in the final. He will be consoled, however, in the knowledge that he can run alot faster, and could end up with one of his fastest ever marks when he gets onto a faster track.

Overall it was a hugely positive weekend for Trackspeed1, topping off a great week for John Powell. On Thursday he was confirmed as being in charge of the England team travelling to the indoor international in Linz, Austria, next month.

Additionally, there was terrific news on the injury front, with both David Bolarinwa and Tunde Judun recovering quickly from hamstring problems.

"David is back in training and is a really lucky boy having suffered the most minor of strains," said John, "and Tunde is now responding well to treatment. We are indebted to Tim Allardyce and his Croydon Physiotherapy practice for doing a great job on both lads."

Bolarinwa, the fastest under-18 in the world last year, hopes to open his indoor account at the London Indoor Games at Lee Valley on January 30th.

Powell heads Stateside now for a week with Omardo Anson and Omari Carr-Miller to revive his Harvard University contacts and friends in Boston, but will be back in good time for the Lee Valley events on 29th and 30th January.

TRACKSPEED1 FLY OUT OF THE BLOCKS

2011-01-09T18:58:00.002Z

Trackspeed1 sprinters opened their 2011 account in style on Sunday (9th January) with a host of lifetime best performances in the opening indoor meetings of the year.

Every athlete bar two at the South of England 400m Championships, held at Lee Valley Athletic Centre, clocked lifetime best performances, giving coach John Powell a huge boost after the frustrations of both David Bolarinwa and Tunde Judun suffered hamstring injuries midweek.

Star of the show was Lawrence Wooldridge, whose senior men's 400m final time of 48.72 shattered his previous best of over 50 seconds indoors, and came close to his outdoor best mark of 48.2. He finished fourth in a final that would have featured training partner Mark Brown, who decided against running after a 48.91s semi-final triggered niggles he didn't want to risk.

Omari Carr-Miller struck gold in the under-17 Men's 400m final at Lee Valley.

Sixteen-year-old Croydon Harrier Omari Carr-Miller struck gold in the under-17 400m with three convincing winning performances in heat, semi and final. He clocked 52.47 in the heat, 51.51s in the semi-final, and won the title with a fine 51.00s run. although coach John Powell, hot-foot from his Charlton team's FA Cup defeat a mile up the road, was critical of his athlete's first lap:

"I would have liked to see "Omari get out alot faster," he said, " because he had it all to do on the back straight on lap two. We've had a chat about fitness levels recently, an this just shows what he could achieve if he engaged with the gym side of training properly. Omari is a real talent, but he has got to shake hands with hard work before he can expect to rub shoulders with the best around."

Elsewhere, 200m specialist Jason Hussain ran a creditable 50.65s 400m heat, although faded slightly in the semi to record 51.97, while Edmond Amaning timed 51.44s to finish third in his heat and qualify for the semi's. He decided against competing further however, with a hamstring niggle.

In an open meeting at Windsor, Trackspeed1's Samuel Adeyemi recorded two 7.20s 60m sprints to shave further fractions off another personal best, although his specialist distance is 400m, with the Windsor outing merely an exercise to polish up on basic speed.

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell was cautiously optimistic of his charges' prospects this winter:

"We suffered bad blows midweek," he said, "with both David and Tunde pulling hamstrings in circumstances that were entirely avoidable - I only hope that they learn from the experience! I don't think Tunde will be running indoors this year, although David might make the agegroup nationals at the end of February if we can get him fit for at least one race before that, but I'll lose no sleep if he doesn't take part as I'd rather he was in shape for summer!

"The performances at Lee Valley were encouraging though. Lawrence proved just what hard work can achieve, and underlined the total belief I have had in him as a really class act who hasn't come close to his real potential yet due to various reasons. Omari ran well, although has much to learn about race tactics, and really must get into gym training after the indoor events conclude."

Next weekend (15/16th January) the rest of the squad spring into action, with the highlight of the second South of England Championship weekend centred around sprinters Dwayne Grant, James Ellington and Danny Doyley, with Jason Hussain again in action, along with Lawrence Wooldridge, Mark Brown and the squad's potential dark horse this year in the junior age-groups, Omardo Anson.

"Even without David and Tunde we have much to look forward to this winter," John continued, and anyone with a Trackspeed1 athlete in their heat next weekend will have good reason to be anxious!"

TRACKSPEED1 SET TO FLY !

2011-01-03T22:41:00.001Z

According to coach John Powell, his squad are set to chalk up personal bests across the board this year - starting with the indoor season which begins this coming weekend at Lee Valley Athletics Centre.

The last time a Trackspeed1 athlete graced the north London complex, David Bolarinwa set an under-18 world fastest 100m of 10.39, and so Powell is hoping his other charges will take up where he left off.

This weekend (Sunday 9th) the 400m athletes take to the boards in the South of England Championships, when Mark Brown, Matt Threadgold, Jason Hussain and Omari Carr-Miller will be among the Crystal Palace-based squad's representatives at the winter's first major meeting.

"We have really prepared the hard way," said Powell, "with the weather making Crystal Palace seemedly one of the coldest places on earth! I've got to say Greenwich Leisure actually made some efforts to clear the track of snow this year, and we're hugely grateful for that, but even indoors it has been freezing cold. And the nearest warm indoor facility is Sutton which is a real mission to get to!

"I've had some stern word with the group this year - we have a fair bit of international experience in the squad, but there are also alot of new youngsters, and they need to learn that joining this group does not in itself guarantee success. Reyss Albert has agreed to leave by mutual consent, and there are likely to be others unless they up their game, but the vast majority are nevertheless lining themselves up for some great performances."

A week after the 400m athletes get off the mark, the sprinters - the real speed merchants - will launch their indoor campaign at the ma9n championship weekend for the South of England AA, again at Lee Valley. At that meeting, the likes of James Ellington, Dwayne Grant and David Bolarinwa will test out their winter efforts to date.

"We have a couple of dark horses too this year," said Powell, and that statement should send shivers down the spine of other athletes who will know that Trackspeed1 have a habit of churning out previously unheard of talent.

"I'm not going to put pressure on individuals buy naming names," said Powell, "but there is talent in the group, and I do hope there can be a glimmer of that shown during the indoor season this year."