Trackspeed1 are feeling the credit crunch effects just the same as everyone else it seems. An elite four athletes are the only ones travelling out to the squad's annual pre-season training base in Florida this year. Most of the group will remain at Crystal Palace under the watchful eye of Trackspeed1 partner coach Donovan Reid, and training coordinator and sprinter Phillip Doorgachurn.
Some of the younger athletes were prevented from travelling due to school or college term dates and exam commitments, but others simply couldn't afford to travel, especially with the strength of the Pound against the Dollar at the moment. Trackspeed1 coach John Powell expressed concern on a number of fronts recently:
"I am really uncomfortable at having to leave several of our athletes behind for 4 weeks, and had we foreseen this scenario, I'm not sure we would have gone at all," he said. "Those athletes going are not all fully fit either, so it could be quite a frustrating time too, although obviously a Florida venue with the outstanding facilities at Disney does provide the platform on which athletes can focus entirely on getting body and mind in as good a shape as possible for the coming summer season."
Trackspeed1 athletes crossing the Atlantic are all British Internationals: Set Osho, British under-23 400m international and former European Junior gold medallist, Jason Hussain, former British Junior international, James Ellington, European under-23 gold medallist, and former British youth international, Ryan Thomas.
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