OSHO LEAVES TRACKSPEED1

Set Osho, who clocked several lifetime best performances over 400m in 2009, and clinched bronze in the World Championship Trials, has left Trackspeed1 after only 20 months.

Coach John Powell cited unreconcilable differences between coach and athlete, along with a deteriorating relationship with fellow athletes in the group.

"Set called me just before we left the U.S., but I would have called it when we got back anyway.  Set had tremendous potential as an athlete, but for some reason he has drifted this last 8 months, and hence unsurprisingly his performances have fallen.

"In Trackspeed1 we have a vast network of advice and opportunities stretching the globe as well as at home, and all we ask in return is for respect and engagement.  I believe the successes of our group over the years endorse that approach.  It is a shame Set chose to look elsewhere."

OSHO IN THE FORM OF HIS LIFE - JUST LIKE SAV'!

Trackspeed1 400m sprinter Set Osho showed yet again just what a class act he is developing into, as he breezed to a South of England Championship gold medal in a lifetime's fastest mark at Watford today (Sunday 21st).

Set, who has now improved on every single one of his seven outings this season, clocked a best ever 46.70s as he anihilated the field on the home straight in the final. In an immensely competitive event his year, it leaves him ranked eleventh in the UK overall, but he was barely in the top 25 three weeks ago!

Set's weekend got off to a roaring start with a season's best in the heat of 47.46, having eaten up the entire stagger on the rest by the half-way mark, and cruising in the last 80 metres. The semi was a similar run, but saw him keep the gas on to the line to record a massive personal breakthrough, with a best ever 46.76 - a time he shaved a further six hundredths off in the final the following day.

"Set was always capable of running far faster than he has done over the past three years or so," said a delighted coach John Powell, "but he undoubtedly has a long way to go yet if he is to impact on the immense depth the event has now in this country, but he is more than capable.

"His tactics weren't great in the final, and I certainly think he could have worked alot harder on the first bend, but it has to be positive if a guy is recording personal bests and still has obvious aspects of his race that can improve."

Laura wins again

In the Midland Championships, Laura Langowski chalked up an amazing fifth consecutive title as she cruised to a 55.29s win, made even more impressive given the wind and rain prevailing there (Watford was basking in sunshine and blue skies!) And as if that was not enough, she took fifth in the 200m in 25.4s - hand-timed after the electronic equipment had been packed away early!!

Savannah shines
Also in lifetime best form at Watford, was Savannah Echel-Thomson, whose excellent indoor form took a dive during the latter stages of winter due to shin soreness issues. But Watford saw her produce what she had threatened to do for some time.

Running in the Junior Women's 400m final, Sav' ran a far more solid race than in the heat when she had run the first 200m far too hard, and came home in sixth place in a best ever 56.43s.

"Sav's performance was all the better when you consider that it was from out in lane seven," said Powell, "and it was an incredibly close finish between a number of girls. We are delighted for Sav' though, because she has been frustrated by injury for so long, and we know she is worth far faster outdoors than her overall pb of 56.77, which she ran indoors in February."

Elsewhere, Frederica Foster disappointed in the 400m heats in Saturday, getting eliminatd with one her slowest runs of the year of 57.90s, but with huge academic pressures that only ended 24 hours before, her form is now fully expected to return to that which holds her as the fastest over 300m at under-17 level in the UK this year.

Powell seeths
The championship weekend got off to an incredibly sour start for Trackspeed1 coach John Powell and British International sprinter, and former South of England Champion, James Ellington. Despite Powell handing in his entry to the SEAA office in April, they denied ever receiving it, and refused James a place in either sprints event!

"This is athletics at its worst," seethed John, "and I'm sure the officials are saying it's me causing problems again. But I know I handed the entry in, and I am puzzled as to why, when there are any problems or queries about entries, it is always with the SEAA and nobody else!

"I understand the rationale behind not allowing entries on the day, but the truth is, their system of no acknowledgement of entries until it is too late after the closing date is fundamentally flawed. They should either collate entries online, or send an immediate acknowledgement. It is an absolute disgrace that an athlete like James should have his whole season compromised by being excluded from this meeting.

"I am also appalled at the way the meeting ran up to an hour late on day one, and the fact that nobody checked to see if there were enough huirdles for the event. What a farce, what a disgrace, but of course all you get at the end of the day is self congratulation by officials on catching up half the time. Consideration for athletes doesn't even enter the equation."

OSHO SET TO FLY !

Trackspeed1 are witnessing a significant comeback this summer of one of the country's most under-estimated quarter milers. Set Osho, who has featured already on recent bulletins on this site, moved up a gear on Saturday (6thJune) in his club's British League division one clash in Abingdon.

Faced with far from the ideal sunny and warm conditions of the week before, Osho (pictured in action on Saturday), who was representing Belgrave Harriers, overcame the rain cold and wind to clock 47.49 seconds in the individual 400 metres event. It was a tenth faster than the Bedford Games seven days earlier, and showed all the signs of holding a significantly faster time still, despite still being relatively early in the season.

He didn't have to wait long! In the 4 x 400m relay he took on last leg where his club had slipped to seventh place, but was clearly not deterred. He swept through the field to close a huge gap to fifth, and was awarded an official split time of 46.0s - the fastest of his life by far, and one that had his coach positively salivating!

"Those were two very classy runs," said John Powell afterwards, "and although he knows he could have executed the individual race better, the relay shows just how much there is in his legs this year, despite a very shakey winter."

Osho was in the British Junior gold medal winning team over 4x400m in Lithuania three years ago, but has not made an impact in the higher agegroups. This, despite many leading authorities, including Trackspeed1 Training Consultant and USA Olympic sprints coach, Brooks Johnson, acclaiming him as world class! The next few weeks of this season therefore, and with a full winter, the 2010 season, could see a new name in the headlines if current progress is anything to go by!

In the same meeting, Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington cruised to wins in the 100m in 10.90 despite a headwind of -1.9m/s, and the 200m in 21.89s facing a headwind of -2.4m/s.

This next weekend sees a number of the younger squad members in action in their county schools events and/or Junior League fixtures, with the senior South of England Championships, at Watford, on 20th and 21st June a week later.

ELLINGTON EXPLODES INTO ACTION!

Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington cast a winter of discontent behind him at bedford on Sunday (May 31st), and produced the second fastest 200 metres of his life - on the opening day of his season!

Competing in the Bedford International Games, the 23-year-old who has been battling hamstring and sciatic nerve problems since January, finally proved that he is back to form - and boy how he showed it! His 21.06 second blast saw off all but gateshead's Richard Kilty, who recorded a lifetime's best of 20.80. (He is pictured in lane 4 in an earlier 100m race). With a negligible 0.1m/s tail wind it was a run that staggered coach John Powell.

"I knew James was getting back to his old self, and he's looked really impresive in training of late, but we didn't really think he had quite enough gas in the tank to produce a significant 200m yet," he said. "But this puts a completely different complexion on things. He could have a really great season and turn a few heads in the process now."

Ellington had earlier opened up his 2009 account with a fine 10.66s run over 100 metres despite a headwind of -2.9m/s which, if reversed, would have converted that performnce to a personal best inside 10.3.

It was a great opening meet also for Trackspeed1's number one 400m sprinter Set Osho. Another athlete who had been struggling with niggles for a fair bit of the winter produced one of his fastest 400's ever, recording 47.58s to win his race.

"Set executed his race perfectly," said Powell, "he went out hard, consolidated mid-race, and then had the strength to push on down the final straight. He's going to pb this year for sure, and I don't mind going on record to say so!"

As if this wasn't enough, 16-year-old Tom Bensted was in the same race, confronted with senior opposition for the first time ever, and was rewarded with a draw on the outside lane! Yet he still finished fifth with one of his fastest times - 49.43s - which puts him well over a second faster than this time last year!

The only slight disappointment of the day was Frederica Foster's 57.40s run in her 400m race, but being swamped with GCSE exams at present, it may be a couple of weeks before she rekindles the form that took her to 56.22 indoors in February.