There have been many athletes who I have had the privilege of working with in the past 36 years. Many young, some older, many talented, most of them keen at least. You ride the highs and the lows with every last one of them.
The Olympic motto stands firm in my mind - if you didn't hold to that you would go slowly mad as a coach; but you have to have the belief and positivity of your elite athletes when it comes to the big day - after all, who else can they look to?
I don't 'believe' James can do well on Tuesday. I 'know' he can! As so many athletes' careers have transcended into the dizzy heights of international track and field, to reach an Olympic Games - make no mistake - is so, so, special. And in your own back yard? Mind boggling!
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| James Ellington's coach, John Powell, writes prior to his athlete's Olympic Games devut on Tuesday August 7th, 2012. |
As James lined up in the UK Championships and Trials in Birmingham, in June, he faced one of the toughest contests in British 200m sprinting in 2 decades. The pressure was immense. The prize so spectacular, so life-changing, you dared not think of the possibility of failure.
The outcome is of course now history, and we have moved on to the biggest show on earth in our home city. But pause for a moment to consider the Herculean achievement that placed James Ellington on the start line in Stratford in the first instance.
Pause also to remember that, 2 years ago, he suffered a potential career-terminating injury when he tore a hamstring in Geneva in 2010. I have ridden these lows with James - and enjoyed the odd high too. Believe me, when I talk about character, strength, motivation, inspiration, let alone sheer bog standard talent - this is what you get from a man now UK Champion already blooded at World Championship level!
I have had the privilege of getting to know James, and his family, over 13 years now, and they are among my dearest friends. We have ridden the rollercoaster that track and field predictably delivers, shared smiles, laughs and tears, for this is how deep our passion runs.
With no disrespect to any oher athletes I coach or have coached in the past - Olympics... home games...an athlete I've known since age 13 and who I have coached for almost all that time... on the start line...!
Phenomenal!
I am completely, totally and utterly biased but, in my humble opinion, you so deserve this James - go show the world what you can do. I am so, so proud to be - and to have been - part of Team Ellington. And I always will be.
John Powell has coached James Ellington since the age of 13, except for two seasons of 2006/7 and 2007/8.
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