Blogs

I would like to welcome you, to my first blog for Spikes magazine. I'm very excited to be giving you an insight into my preparation and progress for the 2008 season.

As you know it's an Olympic year so 2008 is important for every athlete who has aspirations for competing for GB, I happen to be one of many. Beijing is just around the corner and will be here before we know it.

So this is the time of year where we get stuck into the season! June is a good month to find out what kind of form you're in and work on fine tuning all the technical aspects of performance in preparation for the Aviva National Championships and GB Selection Trials. I'm pretty content with my outings so far, but I know more than anyone to be competitive at the highest level, I need to raise my game.

So my coach, Michael Afilaka and I are putting together a rigid structure to make sure I'm at the top of my game when it matters. My confidence is flying high after my 60m silver medal win in Valencia in March, however, the 100m is a different ball game and I can’t wait to play with the top girls!

My preparation for the trials also includes 4x100m relays. UK Athletics have put together a fantastic relay programme to ensure the British women have every chance of emulating the British men. This proved to be working when we posted a  GB all-time top ten clocking of 42.95 in Annecy at the European Cup.

Even with a last minute order change, we managed to put down a world-class time. FANTABULOUS!!

The team spirit was fantastic and it was GREAT to be part of a team where both the men and women had podium finishes overall! Although a week with the men’s relay squad was enough to last me a lifetime!

Once the boredom sets in, athletes can get slightly mischievous… I will mention no names, but a play fight between two male sprinters, ended up with a broken laptop!

All I can say is... Thank goodness for the girls! For me the highlight of the trip was definitely dumping our team captains, Natasha Danvers-Smith and Marlon Devonish, in the steeplechase water barrier. BRILLIANT!!

Although, I’m pretty sure Natasha would not agree after her phone and camera got wet! Oooops! So all in all, it has been a good start to what promises to be an exciting season… I plan to keep you all updated throughout.