BOLARINWA CHASES HIS (YOUTH) OLYMPIC DREAM

Sixteen-year-old Trackspeed1 sprinter, David Bolarinwa, unbeaten over 100m this year, and Europe's number one under-18, faces the race of his life later this month in the World Youth Olympic Games.  But he will have to complete last minute preparations without the coach that has taken him to the brink of Youth Olympic glory.

David wins the European 100m Olympic Trials in Moscow

Coach John Powell, who has remortgaged to travel out to Singapore so he can support his protégée - a real TeamGB medal hope - says that he could be twiddling his fingers in a hotel room rather than helping the Thamesmead-based Cambridge Harrier prepare for the event of a lifetime.

"UK Athletics warned me there may be a problem," he said, "and it appears that the organising committee in Singapore have said that there will be no accreditations for personal coaches.  At one stage I wasn't even going to get in to see David compete, because all the tickets were sold out, but then thankfully the British Olympic Association stepped in and said they could sell coaches tickets for sessions relevant to their athletes. The journey has cost me a fortune, but I want to see a fantastic season through to its climax."

"We won't know for sure whether I can access the training track before the Games begin.  The very idea of possibly not being able to coach David for the final ten days before the event is quite bizarre.  David will have a detailed training programme, and I'm sure the team staff will do all they can to ensure he completes it if I can't.  

"Having seen him through his first serious winter of training, followed him to the European title in Moscow, and overseen an outstanding unbeaten season in the UK to date, I would of course rather like to finish the job!  I can't criticise the British authorities though - UKA and the British Olympic Association seem to have done everything they can, and the flow of information on the event throughout the season has been really helpful in guiding David's preparations."

David is all smiles as he meets leading USA sprints coach Brooks Johnson during pre-season training in Florida

Bolarinwa starts as a strong favourite to medal in the blue ribband event of any Olympics.  This is the first ever 'Youth Olympics' and will take on the format of a full Olympic Games incorporating all sports, but aimed at participants from all over the globe aged under 18.

The South East Londoner is ranked second in the world at present, a fraction behind a Jamaican rival whose best currently stands at 10.46s.  But TeamGB's brightest young sprints prospect in years remains a firm hope for a medal on the day - which colour remains to be seen!  

Bolarinwa has won the English under-20 title as well as the English Schools under-17 championship, not to mention the international schools crown.  His fastest 100m time came in the English under-20 final when he clocked a wind legal 10.47s, after timing a slightly wind-assisted 10.43s in an earlier round.

"I'm going out to Singapore to win," he said, "but as long as I bring home a medal, I guess I'll be fairly happy.  The whole trip's going to be amazing, but I'm going to have to really get it together to achieve my goals there.  I want two golds ideally - with Europe winning the relay too!"

An additional pressure on David will be documentary cameras from CBBC's Blue Peter programme, who are filming him and three other TeamGB athletes from airport to track and home again for footage that will go out early in the New Year.

"This will be a great adventure for David," said Powell, "but he must remain incredibly focussed throughout the trip if he is to get even close to the winners' rostrum."


Check out this website for up-to-date news on how David's preparations go and then how he deals with the world's most talented teenage sprinters in Singapore!

Apprentice David learns from senior international training 

partner James Ellington as they review training video footage

BOLARINWA TARGETS A EUROPEAN DOUBLE

Trackspeed1's David Bolarinwa is targeting a European double this weekend after successfully qualifying for the 200m final at the European Youth Olympics in Moscow.

After winning the 100m on Friday (21st) in a lifetime's fastest 10.68s, the latest young talent to emerge from Trackspeed1 is on the verge of a sensational double gold.

In the heats on Saturday evening, he clocked a winning 21.60s after a nightmare start.  Just as they came under starter's orders, an official realised the lanes had been re-drawn and insisted David and the Polish sprinter swapped places.  Not being allowed to properly re-set his blocks, the first 50m saw David trailing around the bend.

With three athletes clear he had it all to do, but a phenomenally strong pick-up toward the finish saw him emerge a clear winner.  The only other athlete faster than him was the Italian winner of heat one, clocking 21.57.

"It would certainly seem that tomorrow is a two-horse race," commented coach John Powell afterwards, "but the minute you exclude anyone as a threat is the day they decide to have a big break-through.  So we'll be aware of everyone, but as long as David runs the race to his plan, it is going to take a real talent to get to the line before him."

David's final goes at 4.30pm BST and is the last event of the tournament.  Afterwards he and his coach have to agree before leaving Moscow on which event he will opt for in the World Youth Olympics, in singapore, in August.

David (lane 4: 4th from left) digs deep after a nightmare start

 to win his 200m heat in Moscow

British team physiotherapist Shane Kelly helps 

David's 200m preparations in Moscow

BOLARINWA STRIKES GOLD IN MOSCOW

Trackspeed1 teenage sprint sensation, David Bolarinwa, struck gold for Britain in Moscow today (21st May), as he powered to the European Youth Olympic 100 metres title in a lifetime's best time.

David, whose heat time of 10.72s was the fastest qualifying mark, clocked 10.68s in near perfect conditions, beating the fastest athletes in Europe by some margin - second was a German competitor in 10.85s.

Celebrating the squad's first European Gold since Chris Lambert won the Under-23 200m title in 2003, coach John Powell was grinning from ear to ear:

"He didn't have the greatest of starts, and we have to work on that, but his transition and pick-up was absolutely awesome," he said.  "I'm delighted for him because he has worked hard for this, and it's a great springboard now for the rest of the season, let alone the years to come."

David will get little rest though - he goes again on Saturday (22nd) in the heats of the 200m, which are due off at 4.20pm BST.  The final is at 4.30pm BST on Sunday.

David celebrates gold on the rostrum with the other medalists

European Youth Olympic 100m Champion 

with a delighted coach, John Powell.

BOLARINWA FACES EURO TEST

See end of this story for updates from Moscow...

Trackspeed1's latest teenage sprint sensation, 16-year-old David Bolarinwa, faces his sternest test yet today (May 21st), as he opens his account in the European Youth Olympics, in Moscow.

The heats of the 100m go at 1210m local time, and the final at 7.40pm.  Moscow lies three hours ahead of the UK, so by late afternoon in London the title will have been decided.  The event doubles as the trials for the first ever World Youth Olympics, to be held in Singapore in August.

It will be a tough test for David, with fellow Brit' Jerome Musa Lawal having already clocked a faster time this year, plus rivals from Russia and Turkey.  The top four go to Singapore , but only one British athlete can be selected.

Speaking from the Olympic complex in Moscow, coach John Powell commented: "This will be a tough test.  David is in great form, but he is almost a year younger than Jerome, and we know there are at least two other lads faster than him on paper."

David runs also, as the only Brit', in the 200m tomorrow (heats) and Sunday (final), and so has two chances of selection for the prestigious world event later in the summer.

MOSCOW UPDATE...


11:10am BST - David Bolarinwa came through the heats of the 100m in the European Youth Olympics unscathed, and qualified for this afternoon's final as the fastest in the field.


He clocked 10.72s, equal to his one other performance this year, set in Florida, USA, two weeks ago.  Fellow Brit' Jerome Musa Lawal, failed to qualify after finishing second in his heat with the winner only sure to go through.


Of the other strongly fancied athletes, the Italian pulled up with a hamstring tear, but both Russians looked very impressive.  The final goes at 16:40 BST, and this website will be updated later this evening.

David Bolarinwa wins his heat with ease in Moscow