It was an impressive day's work which succeeded in kicking well into touch most of head coach John Powell's predictions as previous best recorded marks were rubbished by every member of the squad.
It is true that times were wind assisted, and it is true that all times were unofficial, but even allowing for these variables, performances featured some really good top end sprinting.
Possibly the most impressive was 20-year-old Croydon man, Brandon Murray, who had only ever run over 23 seconds for the 200 metres. Hence his 20.98 seconds around half a lap was nothing short of stunning. This after another huge PB of 10.41 in a 100m contest with training partner Cameron Starr.
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| Brandon Murray smashed PB's over 200m, 100m and 60m in squad trials. |
Welsh international, Starr, has been promising much this season with some classy training sessions both back in the UK and more recently Stateside, but even he could not have predicted 10.28s even allowing for the following wind and a possibly marginally generous timekeeper!
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| Welsh international Cameron Starr hit impressive form over 100m Stateside. |
Next up came 21-year-old Shaftesbury Harrier Jerome Lule. Assessed for a long time by his coach as a budding 400m athlete, his track record to date was solely over 100m and 200m. After his first attempt at the one-lap sprint even he had to admit it might be his future with a very solid 50.88 second effort.
Trackspeed1-UK have a pretty impressive set-up this year with 2012 Olympics medical lead John Allen providing physio' support, Mark Stanton strength and conditioning coordination, Alex Starr offering nutrition advice, plus Bukola Woodburne Dyer as massage therapist. All this alongside the still active international partnerships developed over the years in America and Australia.
"After a period that has seen the squad a little in the wilderness, there are some exciting plans for the future now," said John Powell. We have a potential set-up that will have alot to offer athletes over the coming season and next winter's training programme."
Meanwhile, back at their Florida base, Daryl Thomas trashed his 2015 200m best of over 23 seconds with a 22.13 second effort, while Reon Gowan-Wade established a solid opening 200m of 21.78 seconds.
"All these times come with a huge health warning," said John, "but they aren't so far out as to say that they weren't all PB's, because they were all so far inside previous best marks. It was the best possible start to the 2018 outdoor season and a great consolation for not competing at the annual meet in Gainesville where prohibitive entry fees proved a step too far on top of a two and a half hour drive."
Trackspeed1-UK will open their formal competitive programme now at their training base in Clermont where there is an open meeting on Saturday April 28th.
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| Trackspeed1-UK squad therapist Bukola Woodburne-Dyer helps Reon Gowan-Wade on the road to recovery after the group's trials efforts |
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