DOUBLE GOLD FOR THE DARK HORSE OF BRITISH SPRINTING

Trackspeed1 UK's Kieran Daly is fast becoming the dark horse of British sprinting, and that claim was underlined at Bedford today (Sunday 22nd) as he claimed his second England national under-23's title in 24 hours.  (Video of yesterday's 100m now above)

Double gold - Kieran Daly is all smiles at Bedford
after securing both England National under-23 sprint titles.

 The 21-year-old Blackheath and Bromley athlete tore another national final field apart with the second-fastest half-lap of his life, to claim a second national title after his sensational 100 metres the day before.

Daly clocked 21.07 seconds ahead of former training partner Edmond Amaning, who could only manage 21.34s in second.  Now his focus will be on recovery over the next few days as he prepares for another huge weekend.  The British Championships and European Championship trials begin on Friday night.

Kieran shakes hands with a delighted coach, John Powell,
after his second England sprint title

"We know Kieran is capable of faster over 200 metres," said coach John Powell after the 200m final, "but there was a fair bit of pressure on him today, and it was the fourth championship race of the weekend.  The adrenalin after his amazing 100 metres yesterday will also have drained some fuel out of the tank.

"It's been a great weekend though, and thoroughly deserved by the athlete.  It's also been quite funny at times, because his 100 metres time was a UK top ten performance up there with the likes of Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Richard Kilty and Danny Talbot, and yet most people don't have a clue who he is.  Well they do now!"

Kieran on the rostrum on Saturday after his
sensational 10.18 second 100 metres

Other Trackspeed1 UK athletes in action this weekend included Matthew Threadgold and James Kasire-Sebalu, and they were also in winning form in their club's home Southern League match at Battersea Park.

Matt Threadgold (left) and James Kasire-Sebalu were in winning form
at Battersea Park for Belgrave Harriers on Saturday.

SENSATIONAL DALY JOINS THE ELITE

Trackspeed1 UK sprinter Kieran Daly grabbed the headlines yet again today as he took the England National Championships by storm.  Clocking 10.18 seconds in the under-23 100m metres final he became one of the fastest ten men in the United Kingdom!

Kieran's improvement this year has been phenomenal,  beginning the season with a 10.58 personal best over the distance.  As an athlete who had never even medaled in a major championship in his life before, the last eight days have seen him take both the Southern and National 100m titles, and there could be a lot more to come.

Tomorrow sees the second sprint event at Bedford, when he will contest the under-23 200 metres.  His best pre-2014 for that event was 21.69.  That has already improved to 21.00 this summer, and both he and coach John Powell are convinced he can go a lot faster than that.

"This is Kieran's last year as an under-23 so I totally understand his desire to run the 200m as well tomorrow," said John," but in the normal way I would have advised against it.  He's got the British Championships and European Championship trials next Friday to Sunday, and that will be a real test.  This week's training will be focussed totally on recovery."

Only a week ago at Crystal Palace did Powell forecast that his protégée could run exactly 10.18, and with the wind well within the legal limit at Bedford, that is exactly what he did, but now his coach has altered his prediction:

"Kieran could certainly run 10.15," said John, "if he tidies up his start.  His drive phase is definitely work in progress, but we will both settle for these sorts of performances for now - good start or not!"

Kieran's performance at Bedford now really puts him among the country's elite sprinters, and nobody can say it has been a fluke, as he has proved time and again he is in 10.2 form this year.  The 200m at Bedford tomorrow (Sunday 22nd) will be another spectacle to see for sure!

IT'S GETTING BETTER - AND BETTER - FOR TRACKSPEED! UK !

It's a while since Trackspeed1 UK's arguably best ever year in 2012, but 2014 is shaping up pretty impressively with massive improvements at all levels,

This weekend sees the England Under-20 and under-23 national championships where Kieran Daly could add further medals to his Southern 100m gold last Saturday.  His 100 metres best has shot up this year from 10.58 to 10.28, while his previous 21.69 200 metres best stands now at 21.00!

It's not just Kieran though.  Last year John Powell was debating the value of keeping 23-year-old Calvin Kirstein on in the group with 12.0 second 100 metre times trailing the rest.  He is now a Sussex County bronze medalist, and has taken his PB down to 11.1.

Squad stalwart, Jason Hussain , took a year out last year as he settled into a new career in recruitment, but has shot back this year with a bang.  He has secured times in both sprints not far off his lifetime bests, achieved when he was in full time training!

Trackspeed1 UK athletes (with coach John Powell in the foreground) in the USA pre-season.  Some are firing on all cylinders, some have to cope with summer injuries, but one thing is for sure - 2015 is looking pretty impressive!

The flip side of the coin has seen disappointing injuries prevent athletes like Josh Swaray, Nathan Gilbert, Frederick Afrifa, and English Schools international Fawwaz Okunola from mingling with the country's best this year, but adversity has made each one of these doubly determined to make the most of the late season events, and be absolutely sure to be super-fit for the indoors and summer season of 2015!

"We had athletes ready to really spring a few surprises this year," said coach John Powell, "and of course Kieran has actually done that, but we will have to wait another year for the real impact. Trackspeed1 UK has something of a reputation for developing new talent, and we intend to reinforce that reputation over the next 12 months or so.  The so called 'elite' cold be in for a bit of a shock!

"We already have one new athlete in the form of a huge talent in Oweka Wanagho, and there are at least two others lined up to join in the Autumn.  And let's not forget a potential serious talent in the experienced Lawrence Oboh who has had to again deal with injury this summer.

"Our Academy concept may or may not take off, but if it does that will be the perfect platform toward feeding the main squad in future years, we will see."

The English age-group championships and the British Championships within the next 10 days will define one or two people's seasons, but there is little doubt that Trackspeed1 UK's disastrous 2013 has now turned around full circle to promise some great stuff this year, and a possibly really impressive 2015!

GOLD! KIERAN DALY HITS THE FORM OF HIS LIFE.

Kieran Daly added his name to the highly decorated Trackspeed1 UK Hall of Fame today with a scintillating win in the South of England 100 metre final, on his home track, Crystal Palace.  It was the most spectacular of three lifetime bests by the three competing TS1 sprinters.

The 21-year-old from Downham, South East London, shattered the already hugely impressive 10.37s personal best set last month, with a crowd thrilling 10.28s, aided only by a +1.1m/s tail wind.  It took him to his first major championship medal, let alone title, and lines him up as one of the favourites for the National under-23 title next weekend in Bedford.

To add to coach John Powell's super Saturday, Jason Hussain improved his lifetime best over the 100m to 10.66s in the heats, going on to finish fourth in the final behind Daly in what is without doubt his number two event - the 200m is tomorrow!

Kieran Daly: SEAA 100m Champion 2014

"It really is going rather well at the moment," commented John Powell.  "Kieran caught the crowd's attention from the off today with a terrific heat clocking a wind assisted 10.35 (+2.5), and his semi was great too with 10.30.  I'm delighted for him, and really excited about how his 200m could improve now, because he is showing all the signs of being in great shape for the longer sprint."

Daly certainly left his best until last, although his exit from the blocks was far from great in the final, leaving the expectation that there is yet more to come.  His time leaves him as 11th fastest overall in the United Kingdom, and third fastest under-23 behind the great Adam Gemilli and the now sub-10 man Chijindu Ujah.

Hussain ran highly respectable semi and final times of 10.71 and 10.70s, and his fourth at the close of play also bodes well for his next outing over 200 metres, which will be at the same track tomorrow in the South of England event.  His fastest this season is 21.38, achieved last week.  That was inside the 21.4 qualifying mark for the British Championships in 2 weeks' time, but due to the wind gauge not working at that meeting the time has not been accepted.

"I need to run at least 21.5 or quicker to stand a chance of getting an invite," he said.  "It was really annoying not having a wind reading last week - especially as it was a British league meeting!"

Coach John Powell was less than impressed with the meeting at Crystal Palace today also.  It took officials 45 minutes after the semi-final to announce finalists, giving them 25 minutes to warm up for the final due to a dead heat for the last qualifier. And times were kept secret for a further 15 minutes!

"It was disappointing," he said.  "I don't understand why you can't publish results straight after the event minus any dispute.  In any other country you would know the result seconds after the race has ended with electronic scoreboards.  At Crystal Palace the scoreboard is now a home for the local pigeon fraternity!"

The third best time for Trackspeed1 UK on the day came from James Kasire-Sebalu, who clocked his first ever sub-11 run of 10.93.  He went out of the competition in the semi-finals.

HUSSAIN IS BACK!

Trackspeed1 UK sprinter Jason Hussain completed an impressive return to the track this year with one of his fastest ever 200 metre runs in Saturday's British Athletics League fixture in Peterborough.

Jason Hussain in action at Peterborough on Saturday powers toward
one of his fastest ever 200 metre times.

Despite being faced with an unmeasured headwind, Jason clocked 21.38s to win the A race, which bolted on nicely to a respectable 100 metres earlier, which he also won in 10.91seconds.  His lifetime bests are 21.23 and 10.67s.

It completed a determined comeback by the Crawley AC athlete, whose career change last year prevented him from competing in 2013.  He has clearly wintered well through 2013/14 though, and as his performances steadily improve this summer, one could be forgiven for expecting maybe a little more now with the major championships imminent.

"I was really pleased with my 200m time," he said, "but the 100m was frustrating.  I got the worst possible start and yet still finished in front in a reasonable time.  I'm not renown for my block starts, but this was awful, so I know there is far better to come over the shorter distance."

This weekend Hussain will double up in both sprints events in the South of England championships, at Crystal Palace, and then, after a weekend off, he will now be looking for an invitation to compete in the British Championships and European Championship trials, in Birmingham, on June 27-29.

Coach John Powell, who Jason has been with since 2005, was delighted with Jason's performances.  He said: "Again it is testimony to some hard work and real determination on Jason's part that he has got back to the form he was in a couple of years ago and, dare I say, further endorsement of the value of staying with a coach you know, and who knows you!

"I have every confidence in him to perform at the coming championships.  It's building into a good season for this group of athletes.  Those who have stayed uninjured are all performing, and those who have spent more time on the physio' table than the track of late are learning fast!  Looking at the next 18 months for Trackspeed1 UK, we could be looking at some significant successes!"

DALY TREBLE LEADS TRACKSPEED1 CHARGE!

Trackspeed1 UK sprinter Kieran Daly yet again grabbed the headlines at Bedford on Saturday, as he charged to three wins out of three in the annual Bedford International Games ("BIG").

Of four TS1 athletes he was by far the leading light, but the other three also proved that the squad are well on their way toward hitting form when it matters most this summer.

Daly opened his campaign with a solid 10.49s 100m - the third fastest of his career - despite a horrible start, demolishing classy opposition with a devastating pick-up toward the line.  Then later in the day he achieved another lifetime best mark - but that was also possibly one of the most frustrating performances of his life!

Kieran Daly (yellow top) demolishes a 100m field at Bedford.

In the 200m he charged to victory with a time of 21.00 seconds - tantalisingly close to the so far elusive sub-21-second barrier that so many athletes of his calibre pursue.  The post-mortems afterwards were of course full of "if only's" but it remained his fastest ever, and demonstrated a clear ability to go under the 21 second mark laster this season.

More was to come though in the send round of the 100m, where again he failed to exit the blocks particularly well, but blasted through the field to win in the second-fastest time of his life - 10.40s.  It rounded off an outstanding day's work,  and sets up he 21-year-old student from Downham, South East London, for a tasty month of June that packs in all the major championships of the season.

Also in action was 27-year-old Jason Hussain, whose year out of the sport in 2012/13 has seen him having to work exceptionally hard to regain any sort of form, but his labours were rewarded at Bedford.

Jason Hussain (yellow vest near-side) hits the line in the 200m at bedford.

In the 100m he clocked a season's fastest of 10.88s, but then topped that with his fastest 200m since well back in 2012 clocking 21.58s.  He finished third in the race in a blanket finish, but again this sets him up for further improvement during the June championships.

Matt Threadgold (third from right in claret/gold vest) dives for the line in the Bedford 100m.

Matt Threadgold, who trained with Trackspeed1 some years ago, only returned to training in March, and so he could be excused for having fairly modest expectations for 2014, but he also set a season's best 100m of 10.96s in a well-executed race.

Rounding off the Trackspeed1 charge was Nathan Gilbert, who opened his season's campaign at Bedford after being ravaged with injury issues for weeks.  His 10.90s 100m was disappointing to him, but coach John Powell was of a very different view:

"Nathan has been back training like a juggernaught," he said, " and he's not been far of Kieran's shirt tails, so we know what he's capable of.   He just needs a few races to get back into things and to stay uninjured."

June is a massive month for Trackspeed1 UK.  This weekend is a fairly soft one with most athletes training through, but then come the South of England Championships at Crystal Palace on 14-15th.  After that are the England National under-20 and under-23 Championships in Bedford, and a week later the British championships and European Championship Trials take place in Birmingham.

"Everything is packed into one calendar month this year domestically," explained John, "so unless you are going to the Commonwealth Games or European Championships, this is the month you have to perform in."

Top Trackspeed1 UK sprinter Josh Swaray is unlikely to feature as he faces a possible minor operation on a knee problem, and Fred' Afrifa faces an uphill task to recover from a hamstring injury in time for his target championships of the year.

"We've had a couple of injuries as usual," said John,"but it's still shaping up to be a really positive season for us as we rebuild the group."

The four Trackspeed1 UK sprinters in action at Bedford on Saturday.

Trackspeed1 UK are indebted to Mark Shearman and VincoSport for the photographs used in this blog.

BIG WEEKEND FOR TS1 QUARTET

This weekend sees the 20th Bedford International games take place, and with the Mondo track and an international class entry, the four Trackspeed1 UK guys entered will get little better opportunity to show what they are capable of.

Kieran Daly heads the cast with outings over both the 100m and 200m on Saturday, and he will be hoping for a favourable wind to help him on his way to further improving the lifetime best marks he has already impressively set this season.

Joining him on the entry list for both sprints will be Nathan Gilbert.  Last year's senior boys English Schools 100m finalist will be looking to open his season with a bang after at last overcoming a sciatic nerve problem that has hampered training for the last few weeks.

Nathan Gilbert hopes to open up with a positive
performance at Bedford on Saturday.

"Nathan has been showing up very well in training," said coach John Powell, " and he is certainly capable of a good performance this year.  He has had his fair share of injury issues, so we are all hoping that he can deliver something positive this summer."

Also contesting the sprints in the 100m will be Matthew Threadgold, along with Jason Hussain.  Jason is set to contest both sprints, and hopes to build on solid early season form as he prepares for the meatier part of the season in June.

The track and field programme is packed into June this year, with a league weekend in a week's time, followed by South of England Championships, the English National under-20 and under-23 Championships, and finally the Sainsbury's British Championships and European Championship Trials.

"Last year was pretty poor for us," said John Powell, "but we knew that was only a hoc-cup.  This year we are back kin to some good stuff, and we have some very talented athletes.  Longer term there are plans to really develop Trackspeed1 UK, so as far as I'm concerned things are really looking up!"

THREE ATHLETES, SIX MEDALS, JOB DONE!

It may "only" have been County Championships this weekend, but Trackspeed1 UK's season maintained its flying start with  six medals from just three competing athletes, which included one of the most impressive rises to fame at this level in years!

Barely nine months ago, TS1 Head Coach John Powell was reluctant to keep on Calvin Kirstein with his performances struggling to crack 12 seconds over 100 metres.  Come summer 2014 though, John welcomes the opportunity to admit that the Eastbourne Rovers speed man has well and truly rammed his words back down his throat!

Calvin Kirstein (left) and Jason Hussain proudly show off their 5 medals
at the Sussex County Championships

Competing in the Sussex County Championships, in Crawley, Calvin Kirstein struck bronze in both the 200m and 100m with 22.9s and 11.2s respectively, equalling his hand-timed best ever marks.  They were his first ever County medals, and cap a winter's worth of seriously hard graft.

"Calvin has become a real example of what can be achieved with a bit of hard work," said John.  "He commutes from Eastbourne to Crystal Palace three times a week, and is now showing incredible improvement.

"We take pride in bigging up the internationals in Trackspeed1, and all their achievements in major championships," he continued, but it is almost as satisfying to see someone at the albeit modest county level achieving so well.  There's little more satisfying for a coach than seeing an athlete put in really hard work, and then improve well as a result."

Calvin couldn't quite better training partner Jason Hussain though.  For it was Hussain, 27, who took gold in both sprints clocking 11.1 and 22.2.  Then conditions for the 200m on Saturday were atrocious with headwind and driving rain, while the 100m n Sunday - albeit in sunny dry conditions - suffered a -1.7m/s headwind.  It was happy days for Hussain though, who has won countless Sussex titles over the years.

There was a generous bonus for Calvin though, with gold in the 4x100m relay as Eastbourne Rovers streaked away with the Sussex title, making it a pretty satisfying weekend for the 23-year-old who had previously never won a medal at County level.

Elsewhere in the Surrey Championships Matt Threadgold looked set to land a sixth medal for his squad n the 100m final in Kingston, but blocks slipping in the final left him languishing in fourth at the line. He clocked 10.99s, although in the heat he had timed 10.81, albeit assisted by a +2.4 tail wind.  Instead it was 17-year-old Renee Ross-Gordon who took bronze in her 200m final clocking 26.4s faced with a 4.4m/s headwind at Kingston - a "far from shabby run..." in her coach's words!

"It's been a pretty positive start to 2014," commented John Powell.  "We may have lost some top athletes post-2012, but we are well on the 'up' now, and I reckon we have a couple of dark horses in the group who could raise a few eyebrows this summer.

"Already we have Kieran Daly earning his first ever international at Loughborough, and I reckon Nathan Gilbert will impress too once he gets back fit from recent injury issues.  Fred Afrifa has a hamstring injury that will not help is 2014 campaign, but once fit again, the Italian World Juniors squad member could still impress.  And there are more where he came from too!

"There are going to be some significant changes that will be aimed at moving Trackspeed1 UK back up a few grades this next winter - watch this blog for details.  We have an international reputation and I'm not about to lose that, and we have contacts all over the globe.  With the athletes we have, a who knows who else may join the party - the future is looking pretty good!"

Calvin and Jason mounted the rostrum on exactly
the same steps twice at Crawley!

YET ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL IS BORN!

Trackspeed1 UK's glittering hall of fame expanded by yet another name yesterday (Sunday 18th) as Kieran Daly became the latest athlete to gain international honours, after 4 years in the squad.

Kieran is all smiles as the latest new international athlete produced by Trackspeed1 UK.

With 2012 and 2013 seasons littered with injury issues, Kieran had already made a bold statement with huge personal bests a week earlier at Windsor (see earlier blog), but in the annual Loughborough University international meeting he went one step further and caught the eye of England selectors.

Initially planted in the 4 x 100m relay team, he actually ended up wearing the red and white of his home country in the 200m, where he ran the second fastest time of his life - 21.13 seconds - from lane one, finishing fourth overall.

The performance that had caught the selectors' eye had been his 100m effort earlier in the day, where he took full advantage of ideal weather to clock a wind legal lifetime best of 10.37s - a far better mark than the 10.21s a week earlier, which was aided by a 5.0m/s gale behind him!

The performance ranks him currently ninth fastest in the UK this year - third fastest in his own age-group of under-23 athletes, with the great Adam Gemili only just in front with 10.32.  Chijindu Ujah leads the listings with 10.17s.  More importantly, in the race at Loughborough, Kieran finished in front of former Olympic gold medalist Mark Lewis-Francis, and former European Junior Champion David Bolarinwa.

"It was a great run," said coach John Powell who was present to watch his protégée perform, "and the great thing is that he can clearly go faster with some work on his starts.  The 200m was frustrating because he should have been slotted into lane 5, but a breakdown in communications ended up with him having to run on the inside, which almost certainly cost him a personal best, set a week ago at 21.08!"

Training partner Jason Hussain was equally delighted for Kieran.  He said on a social networking site: "Congrat's to Kieran Daly after representing England today at the Loughborough International.  I've trained with this guy for a good 5-6 years.  He has trained so hard and proper deserves the season he is having!"

Kieran will take a weekend off competition this coming weekend, but returns to action at Bedford on May 31st for the Bedford International Games. After that he will be focussing on three huge consecutive weekends: the Southern Championships, National Under-23 Championships, and finally the UK European championship trials in Birmingham.

Kieran (far side, lane 1, in red) on the final straight in the 200m at Loughborough on Sunday.

Kieran in action in the 100m at Loughborough.

SUPER KIERAN BREAKS THROUGH AT LAST

'Trackspeed1 UK' sprinter Kieran Daly at last hit the radar of elite athletics as he set two scintillating lifetime best marks in the British League today (Saturday 10th) at Windsor.

Kieran Daly - moved to a whole new level of athletics with
sensational lifetimes best performances at Windsor.

In far from ideal conditions, he blasted to a phenomenal 10.21s in the 100m - some 0.37 inside his lifetime best - and left his nearest rival in the UK's premier club competition some 0.25s behind!  It was also the fourth fastest time clocked by a British athlete this year with or without wind assistance!

The only statistic that took the shine off the after-party was the following wind - a gale of +5.0m/s - but as any sprinter will testify, a wind that strong - even if it's in your favour - is as much a hindrance as an aid, as balance and leg speed is adversely affected.

This was, however, not all, and arguably the best performance of the day was to come in the 200m,  Here the 21-year-old Blackheath and Bromley Harrier placed first again, clocking a sensational 21.08s.  That was 0.48s inside his fastest ever mark set in the United States 3 weeks ago but, most importantly, this was wind legal with a following breeze of +1.1 well below the permitted 2.0.  It also ranks as one of the fastest ten performances by any athlete in the `UK this year!

As the news broke, Kieran's coach, John Powell, was out with his family inLondon's West End, and he confessed to being stopped in his tracks when he got the message:

"We all knew Kieran was in the form of his life," said John, "but in the conditions around London today I must admit I didn't think this was the day when we would get a breakthrough like this.  It's nothing less than he deserves though - Kieran's potential has been frustrated by injury the last couple of seasons, but we are all hoping and praying that 2014 will see something closer to his true ability."

The positives to come out of Windsor for Daly were not only the times, but also the knowledge that there were a number of technical issues that could be vastly improved, and so even further improvement cold be reasonably expected as the season progresses.

Kieran's next outing is due to be at the Loughborough international meeting next Sunday 18th May when he is hoping to get lanes in both sprints.  Having trained under John Powell's tutelage for 4 years now, he represents yet further evidence of TS1UK's ability to create and develop world class athletes form the ground floor!

Kieran holds his bottle of champagne, awarded to him as the 'Man
of the Match' at the British League's opening fixture in Windsor.