HUSSAIN SPEED RETURNS

A chequered season for Trackspeed1 sprinter Jason Hussain picked up again on Saturday when he clocked a lifetime's fastest 100m of 10.85s.

Competing for Belgrave Harriers in the British League Premiership clash in Windsor, he took advantage of a 1.9m/s following wind, although having been promoted to the A-race after the late withdrawal of Wade Bennett-Jackson (ill) he wasn't able to make an impression in a race that saw the local ground record and League record broken.

Jason Hussain recovered his basic speed to record

 a lifetime's best 100m at Windsor

"Jason has been exploring the idea of moving up to 400m this year, but he has returned to speed work this last week or so, and it's clearly paid off," said coach John Powell.

The latest addition to Trackspeed1, Loughborough University student Matt Threadgold, clocked the second fastest 400m of his life in the same fixture, timing 49.18s with a gutsy B-race effort, although both athlete and coach were insistent there is far more to come.

"I know I am worth at least 48.mid's right now, and reckon well under 48 is easily on the cards next year," he said after the race.

Meanwhile, further north, David Bolarinwa was busy maintaining his sensational unbeaten record this year over 100m in Leeds, competing for Cambridge Harriers in their British League division 3 fixture.  David clocked 10.70 to win, following up with a winning 21.57s 200m.

The meeting marked the beginning of the most important period of the talented young sprinter's life.  On Wednesday he runs at Lee Valley in an open 100m trial, and then travels to Singapore on Monday 9th for the World Youth Olympic Games.

"It's really exciting times for David," said Powell, "but it's all about keeping your feet on the ground right now, because no medal is guaranteed - it has to be earned."

OMARI SUB-50 AS BOLARINWA STRIKES GOLD (AGAIN!)

Fifteen-year-old Omari Carr-Miller, whose winter training was wrecked by a potentially career-threatening stress fracture in his shin, shattered his lifetime best 400m performance in Birmingham on Saturday (10/7).

Competing in the semi-finals of the intermediate boys English Schools Championship, the Croydon Harrier  dismissed the disappointment of being drawn out in lane eight with a superb 49.60s run, his first ever under 50 seconds.

Meanwhile fellow Trackspeed1 squad member, David Bolarinwa, was up to his usual tricks, strolling to victory in the inter' boy's 100m.  His 10.77s run in the final was a far cry from the 10.47 he had chalked up in winning the under-20 national title a couple of weeks earlier, but it was enough to see off the rest of the field in Birmingham by a clear margin.

Coach of both athletes, John Powell, who travelled to Birmingham to watch his two youngest charges battle it out with the best England could muster, was hugely complimentary to both athletes:

"Omari had never run in lane eight in his life, and called me after he saw the draw to ask how on earth he should run the race," he said.  "We talked it through, and he ran it by the book, with a fine finish that saw him scrape into the final by three hundredths of a second.

"Omari has endured a nightmare this last nine months.  He had a classic injury caused by overuse, in other words doing far more physical activity than his body could take.  He is so talented that there are huge demands on him, and with a slender frame it all proved too much.  Not being able to run at all during the winter was sending him round the bend at training.

"I was delighted for him running under 50 seconds at last - he will be so much better next year though.  He was immensely disappointed with seventh in the final (50.33s) where he landed lane eight again, but this summer was always going to be difficult, and simply being there was a huge achievement."

Bolarinwa heads now to Scotland this Saturday (17th) for the schools home international, although his training now will be solely focussed on the World Youth Olympics, in Singapore, next month.

"David will compete in the English National Championships for his age-group on 7-8th August in Stoke before flying out to Singapore on 9th," said Powell. "There is alot to be done between now and then."

Another gold for David Bolarinwa

SCHOOLS RECORD ON FOR BOLARINWA AS ELLINGTON RETURNS

Trackspeed1 sprinter David Bolarinwa attempts to crack the English Schools intermediate boys 100m championship record, set by Mark Lewis-Francis, right in the former World Junior Champion's back yard, tomorrow.

The 16-year-old, who travels to Singapore next month to context the World Youth Olympic title, cruised through the heats today (Friday 9th) in Birmingham's Alexander Stadium.  The semi-final and final are tomorrow, and Bolarinwa's target is 10.54s

David in training in the U.S. earlier this year

Coach John Powell will be hoping for a the omens this week to work positively, with senior springer James Ellington setting foot back on a track this week for the first time since his tragic hamstring tear in Geneva a month ago to the day.

"James is looking great in terms of getting back to stake a claim for Commonwalth Games selection," said Powell, "and the English Schools is a great stage for David to prepare for Singapore."

One other Trackspeed1 athlete competing in Birmingham is 15-year-old Omari Carr-Miller.  Having suffered a winter ravaged by injury his summer was always going to be difficult, but he has got back at least to last year's best form with a 50.31s third place in the inter' boys 400m heats today, which was good enough to see him through to tomorrow's semi-final.