TRACKSPEED1 OPENER THE BEST - EVER!

Trackspeed1 sprinters opened their 2012 account in Gainsville, USA, yesterday (Saturday 21st) and produced the best set of results ever achieved by the squad on the opening day of any summer campaign.

Trackspeed1's Olympic hopeful James Ellington gets some last minute
therapy from 2012 TeamGB physio' , John Allen, who is working
with the squad in the States

Lifetime best marks went tumbling as John Powell's young stars got off to a flying start at the University of Florida track in Central Florida.

Arguably the best performances of the day came from European Junior Champion David Bolarinwa.  He clocked one of his fastest ever 100m times of 10.33s to win his heat ahead of a classy field.  But then he went on to the 200m, and immediately found himself lined up against fellow Brit Adam Gemilli.

Gemilli had the final say with a winning personal best 20.70, but David's 20.78 was a huge personal best, achieved as he said afterwards, with still more in the tank.  All times at the meeting were wind legal.

Some of the TS1 squad get ready for the meet in the Gainsville stadium

These achievements had not come easily.  Just as the athletes were getting ready to warm up for the 100m races, the heavens opened, and thunder storms enveloped the nine-lane circuit.  The meeting was suspended well over two hours, which meant the athletes were competing deep into the evening.

Olympic hopeful James Ellington was first onto the stage with a fine 10.35s to win his heat - by far and away the fastest he has ever opened a season with, and this year he had started even earlier than usual!  In the 200m he clocked 21.04s winning his heat again, and notching another mark that was way ahead of any other season opener in past years.

The Gainsville track is awash as the meet is suspended during storms.
The meet restarted but ran deep into the evening, making it a marathon
day for the sprinters who had driven up from Orlando for the day!

It had to be the most encouraging start to any season Coach John Powell had ever seen, and he confessed to being a little startled after the dramatic weather conditions that threatened for so long to terminate proceedings completely:

"It was fantastic to see my guys firing so well so early," he said, "I never ever line athletes up to intentionally PB on day one - that would be pure folly.  But that is just what some people did, and believe me there is way more to come from everyone yet."

In the other sprints heats, Edmond Amaning at last cast 18 months of injury frustration behind him with a lifetime fastest 10.88s in the 100m, and 21.74s in the 200m, but he was one that John Powell specifically singled out as having far more to come:

"Edmond is a potential dark horse this year," he said, "he is a massive talent, and if he can stay clear of injury he could do very well indeed as a junior."

Omardo Anson equalled his 100m PB with 11.10s in his heat, and improved his 200m mark to 22.34s, while Jason Hussain notched 21.74s in his 200m heat after a 10.97s effort in the 100m.

Youngest squad member, fifteen-year-old Phillip Robinson, opened his track debut with solid 11.44 and 23.45s performances over both sprints - pretty reasonable while competing up to four years out of his age, and a t a meeting where world best times were being set in earlier rounds!

In the 400m hurdles, England Champion Ed Harrison clipped hurdle one, and clattered into hurdle two, but still managed to recover to record his fastest ever opener of 52.70s.

Trackspeed1 continue their pre-season preparations with further training in Orlando this week, and then compete again at the 20th Florida Glider's Spring Classic meeting, at Lake Brantley High School, on Saturday (28th).  They return to the UK on May 1st.