As the domestic season approaches its final
phase, it really does seem that Crystal Palace-based Trackspeed1 UK have turned
the corner with the majority of their athletes setting lifetime bests again
this year, not to mention the blooding of Kieran Daly as an international
athlete.
The 2012 season was arguably their most
successful ever, and 2013 their worst after the group was ravaged by athletes
being tempted to pastures new, but in
2014 one of the most successful sprints groups in the country is once
more on a roll.
Kieran Daly’s initiation on Friday and Saturday
as a member of the British international set-up may not have been pretty in the
Glasgow Diamond League (he false started in the 100m and was involved in a
disqualification in the relay), but the truth is that he has transformed from
10.58 mediocrity to 10.18 excellence in little more than a month.
"When you have bad days at the office like that, you have two choices," commented head coach John Powell. "You can go into your shell, sulk, and let it ruin your season - and self-confidence - or you can learn from it, put is behind you, and darn well get on with it. I know Kieran will have no hesitation with the latter!"
Then take 26-year-old Jason Hussain, whose
lifestyle change forced temporary retirement in 2013. He returned this year and
is already back to close to his fastest ever 100 and 200 metre times – no mean
achievement indeed.
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| Jason Hussain in action last week in the British League, in Peterborough for his Crawley club. He won both 100m and 200m events. |
Other members of the group including James
Kasire-Sebalu, Calvin Kirstein, and Peter Olusakin, have all PB’d at their own
levels, but better has surely yet to come with a number of new faces entering
the group ready for the next training cycle that John Powell says
could see very significant improvement by the majority.
“I’m changing the routine this next year,”
he said. “It’s no secret that my
motivation levels plummeted in 2013, but I’ve really got the bug back this last
year, and I’m determined my athletes get the best chance to cavort at the
highest possible level in 2015.”
There have still been disappointments in 2014
with injury ravaging the summer season for the likes of England International Josh
Swaray, Italian Junior squad sprinter Frederick Afrifa, and English Schools
international Fawwaz Okunola, but their coach reckons that will make them
doubly dedicated and determined for next time round.
“It’s a huge frustration for any athlete to
lose a season through injury after all the rigours and pain of winter workouts,”
he said, “but we have an excellent mix of talent now, especially with a few new
faces, and I do believe this may be one of the strongest groups we’ve had in a
while in both depth and individual talent.”
Members of the squad are next in action at
the Loughborough European International meeting this Saturday (19th).
