Event: 100m, 200m
DOB: 01/05/91
Age: 19
How do you feel about being a SPAR star?
I’m really pleased because it’s nice to be recognised within athletics. Plus we get some financial aid, which will be really helpful for travelling to college and all that sort of stuff – the expensive side of it.
How long have you been competing seriously for?
I started at the under-15s back in 2005 but it wasn’t too serious then; I was just going once a week and I was still playing football. I started properly in 2006, when I got my first proper coach and I’ve been with him since. It seems to be going really well.
What do you count as your greatest achievement so far in athletics?
Getting picked for the World Juniors [in Canada] last year, and getting picked for the Glasgow International at the end of January this year – those are probably my biggest achievements.
How did it go at the World Juniors?
It didn’t go as well as I wanted. At the beginning of the season the aim was just to get picked so I was really pleased. But as the season went on I started running quite fast and I was hoping to make the final and be able to challenge for a medal. When I was out there the times that got into the final that would have won me a medal were within my capabilities so I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t make the final there.
How do you deal with losing and not doing as well as you hoped?
I think I deal with it quite well because I try to be as positive as I can – I look back on not making the final and think, ‘Oh well, I did well to make it when I look at my original aim.' Then it drives me to achieve more. As soon as we got back from Canada I was thinking, ‘Right, I want to make the final of the European under-23s and I put my head down and worked really hard in training. Everything’s going well in training at the moment so I think it almost helped that I didn’t make the final because I could have got complacent.
What’s your aim for 2011?
To make the European under-23 final and then, once I’m there, hopefully I’ll be able to challenge for a medal. I want to try and consolidate myself as a top senior as well because we’ve got the Olympics next year and in the 200m there are not many people that are shining so there’s definitely going to be at least one place available for the Olympics. Hopefully, fingers crossed, I’ll be able to challenge for that place.
Is competing in the 2012 Olympics something that you dream of?
Definitely. Competing for Great Britain at any Olympics, but especially a home Olympics, would be unbelievable.
You’re also studying at Bath University?
Yes, I’m doing sports performance.
What do you hope to do in the future after your athletics career?
I’m not too sure, really. I haven’t thought too long into the future but I went to Bath University so I could stay with my coach, Dan Cousins. The course is for sportsmen – we don’t have that many lectures and we’ve only got one exam this year. That degree could set me up in coaching but I haven’t really thought too far ahead.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I just chill with my mates and do the usual stuff – play Xbox, go to the cinema, that sort of thing.
Are there any particular films or genres that you like?
I really like comedies, I think that’s my favourite genre but I haven’t seen that many recently because I’ve been training and my friends have got a lot of exams at the moment. My favourite film is Zoolander!
Do you listen to music?
Yes, I love listening to music and I like all sorts of genres. At the moment, I’m more into R&B and hip hop but I’ve listened to different sorts all my life – my dad’s really into rock and heavy metal, and my mum’s more into R&B and old school Motown so there’s a lot of different music I’d listen to.
Before a race how do you prepare yourself – do you have any strange rituals?
I always have to wear the same socks – they’re Adidas. It’s the same actual pair of socks; I only ever wear them in competitions because I don’t want them to wear out by wearing them for training. I’ve had the same socks for about 30 competitions!
Which athlete, current or retired, would you like to emulate?
I think the obvious one is Usain Bolt, but my hero in athletics is really Michael Johnson because he worked so hard. I’m a 100m and 200m runner but he did 200m and 400m. I respect everything he did because the 400m, in my opinion, is the hardest event. He’s the best in the world, he’s won at four different World Championships, put in so much hard work and he’s so knowledgeable about athletics. I’d love to meet him one day.
Was the last year a good one for you?
I look back on it and I’m so pleased with it because I’d never represented Great Britain before. To get picked for Great Britain [for the World Junior Championships] was just amazing because there are so many talented sprinters.