Monday, 3 January 2011

TRACKSPEED1 SET TO FLY !

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."

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