POWELL SALUTES HIS BEST YEAR - EVER!

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell has had an amazing 2012 already by any measure - and there's still almost half the athletics season still remaining!  And this week he paid tribute to the people who have so far made it his year of years.


It all started back in February when his wife gave birth to Jasmine, his second daughter but first with wife Chanphen.  Weighing in at 7lb 5oz it marked the opening of a whole new chapter in John's life.  But what a chapter it was to be.

As the tracks and field season emerged from the cold of winter, he took his squad of largely short sprinters to their annual pre-season training camp in Orlando, Florida.  A solid training programme then began to give rise to some very special performances.

"I try my best to ensure my athletes don't peak too early," explained John, "so any early season performances I always put into the perspective of the sort of training we have been doing.  But this year I had to pinch myself."

In the first two meetings of the year, pretty much the whole group set lifetime bests in the short sprints while still at their training base in the States.

"I wasn't overly worried at all, because I knew people were nowhere near their best having done what we had in training, and I slowly began to really relish the meets nearer home that would make or break some people's seasons," he continued.

This website records the achievements since which make awesome reading, culminating in John's long-held dream of getting James Ellington to an Olympic Games.  His win at the olympic Trials at the weekend just gone was described by John as the best moment he has ever experienced as a coach of 36 years.

"That's no disrespect to anyone else in the squad," added John.  "I have taken huge pleasure from seeing virtually everyone improve this season - it's been fantastic.  He then reflects on some of the individuals who have together made 2012 so memorable already.

Edmond Amaning spent most of 2011 on the physio' table with hamstring problems, but he's made up for it in 2012.  He's improved from 21.9 over 200 metres to 21.13, and earned a call-up this week to the British Junior team travelling to Barcelona for the World Junior Championships.  He was named in the relay squad having missed out on the 200m qualifying time by 0.03 seconds!

David Bolarinwa held onto his under-20 British 100m title, and improved his 200m from over 21 seconds to 21.69 this year, and promised to go even faster in the later stages of the season, including Barcelona.  And Kieran Daly improved his 100m time from 10.82 to 10.58 in one crazy afternoon at Bedford recently.

Omardo Anson has already set lifetime bests this year

Then you have to consider Omardo Anson, one of the athletes who featured in the recently published documentary, "Personal Best", who improved to 11.03 over 100m and equalled his 22.34s 200m best.  Fellow senior Jason Hussain enjoyed a wind-assisted 21.2s run in the County Championships, but immediately attracted the assertion from Powell that he is without doubt a sub-21s athlete on his day.  And don;t forget Melvyn Anukam as another of the TS1 family who have smashed sprint bests in 2012.

One of the newer members of the group PB's within days of beginning training at Crystal Palace -- Joel Harvey clocked 21.74s over 200m, while newest member Julian Thomas arrived from his long-term Midlands base with former coach Tony Hadley, in PB form having already recorded 20.88s this year.

"Julian was a fantastic addition to the group and having decided to move south we were delighted he chose to join us," said John, "and as I have said before, I can only pay tribute to the awesome job Tony did with Julian over many years.

So now Trackspeed1 boast an under-20 national champion (David Bolarinwa), England Senior Champion (Edmond Amaning) and British Senior Champion in James Ellington.  And with the season having several weeks to go yet, who knows what else could be around the corner.  Joel Harvey contests the English Schools U17 200m next week, so he could make it a complete clean sweep of 200m titles for Trackspeed1 in one season!

For Powell, it's Barcelona in 2 weeks' time for the World Juniors, the after a week at home with his now almost 5-month-old daughter, its 8 days in Portugal with James Ellington at the pre-Olympics camp with the rest of the British team.  After that it's the biggest show on earth in London!

"I can barely get my head around how great this year has been so far," enthused John.  "I was so emotional at the Olympic Trials when James won the 200m - that was the culmination of so many ups and downs over how many years, I shudder to think!  It meant the world to see him clinch gold on Sunday evening."

James Ellington, first coached by John Powell in 1999,
 will compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games

Before all that gets under way though, Powell will proudly lift the Olympic Torch somewhere in the London Borough of Bromley on Monday 23rd July.  "That was a big shock when I heard I had been nominated, let alone listed as one of the bearers," he said, "but it will be an amazing experience."

Trackspeed1 will be involved in all sorts of domestic as well as international competitions during July and August before a well-earned break in September.  James Ellington will head the group with appearances at Crystal Palace on - probably - both Friday and Saturday 13/14th July.

"The end of the season sees my family travel to Thailand to introduce Jasmine to her Grandmother for the first time, and that will be awesome," he said.  "But first there's no reason why this season shouldn't really rock with the group getting yet more PB's and titles.

"And of course there's that little event in East London that might throw up a performance or two!"

YET ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL IS BORN!

Edmond Amaning with the England 200m Championship trophy - he's off toBarcelona
for the World Junior Championships!

It just keeps on getting better and better for Trackspeed1 this year.  Hot on the heels of the squad's brand new Olympian in James Ellington, came the selection of Edmond Amaning to the British team competing in the World Junior Championships in two weeks' time.


Edmond, who has improved his 200 metres time on virtually every outing this year to within three hundredths of a second of the World Championships qualifying mark of 21.10s, has been rewarded with a berth in the relay squad, and will travel with the British team to Barcelona in two weeks' time.

"He was obviously delighted when he heard," said coach John Powell, "and it's nothing short of what he deserves.  He missed virtually all of last year with a recurrent hamstring issue, but this year has made up for lost time with improvement from 21.9 to 21.13, and I reckon there is still a bit more in his legs!"

Amaning recently won the England Senior Championship, despite still being only 18 years old, and came within a whisker of securing the under-20 title at the World Junior Championship trials.  But selection for international duty these days is pretty cut-throat, and he just missed the standard.

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell has declared the 2012 season as the most successful ever.  Although 2003 produced three major championship gold medals, their depth of success this year has outdone any other group in the past.

"It keeps getting better and better," said John, "and I am enjoying every moment of it.  I am so pleased for my guys because they are a terrific group of people to work with."

GOLD, GOLD, GOLD! ELLINGTON QUALIFIES FOR LONDON!

James Ellington takes gold in Birmingham to secure his place in London 2012.

Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington qualified for the London 2012 Olympic Games yesterday, with a world class performance in the 200 metres, at the Olympic Trials, in Birmingham.

The 26-year-old Newham and Essex Beagles sprinter, from Addiscombe, annihilated what was probably one of the classiest fields ever in a domestic 200m final.

The stakes were massive as no fewer than five A-standard athletes lined up in the heats having already achieved the time required - but only first and second in the final would gain automatic selection.

It was a day of drama from the off.  Strongly fancied James Alaka failed to qualify for the final at all, and Christain Malcolm, Delano Williams and Richard Kilty were all beaten in their heats and qualified only as the three fastest losers.

Ellington on the other hand meant business.  He cruised home in 21.04 in his heat with an effortless home straight suggesting he had plenty left in the tank.  With live television, and some of the toughest selection criteria for an Olympics to satisfy, the pressure was on.

Unsurprisingly the final was a thrilling spectacle with several athletes making a bid to hit the front off the bend.  But it was Ellington who hit the front at 80 metres, executing coach John Powell's instructions to the letter.

His finish was the strongest in the field, and second-placed reigning champion, and three times Olympian Christian Malcolm could only strain for the line as Ellington dominated the final few metres.

"People have to understand just how much this means," said a very emotional coach John Powell afterwards.  "James had a potentially career terminating injury only 2 years ago, and he has had more than his fair share of ups and downs in the sport.

"To say I am delighted for him is an understatement.  I don't recall feeling this elated after a competition in 36 years of coaching.  James and I have been together for a long long time, and for me he is as good as family.  His run in the final was unbelievable and I shall always remember it. Sheer class!"

James with coach John Powell are understandably all smiles after the Birmingham 200 metres final.

The 2012 summer season has to date been little short of outstanding for Trackspeed1 with virtually everyone smashing their personal bests and/or winning titles or medals.  David Bolarinwa battled through a huge championship weekend a week earlier to qualify for the World Junior Championships - which made his showing at the Birmingham trials even more impressive.

At age 18 and one fo the youngest in the field, he too qualified for the final and finished sixth in 20.93s.  "Make no mistake," said John Powell, "to perform like that seven days after another championship weekend under such pressure and at that level, is exceptional."

Other TS1 sprinters also enjoyed a successful outing in the Midlands at their own levels.  Jason Hussain inparticular ran really well to clock 21.40, flying through the field of his heat on the straight, but just too late to make an impression on the leaders.

England Champion, 18-year-old Edmond Amaning, also ran well having been drawn in lane 2, timing 21.30s, while new squad member Julian Thomas was forced to withdraw quickly after getting out of the blocks with a recurrent nerve problem in his hip.

So now with futures decided, the likes of Bolarinwa and Ellington can confidently begin preparations for the major international championships of the season.  David goes to Barcelona in 2 weeks' time for the World Junior Championships, but James flies out today to Helsinki with the British team competing in the European Championships - but only to compete in the relay.

DAY OF RECKONING ARRIVES!

FIVE Trackspeed1 sprinters line up in the Olympic Trials 200 metres tomorrow (Sunday 24th) with at least one looking for a potential berth at the biggest show on earth - the Olympic Games!


It is the day of reckoning for James Ellington who goes into the event as one of four athletes with an A standard, meaning that first or second in the final will be enough to secure his spot in TeamGB.  But it will be far from easy.

Reigning UK Champion Christian Malcolm will start as favourite. and James Alaka and Richard Kilty both have faster A standards than James.  However, Kilty has not run since April, and Alaka has been racing in far warmer climes in the USA.  New Brit' Delano Williams will, however, also be a threat.

"It will be a fantastic final," said coach John Powell, "but we have to survive the heats first.  I expect James will have to win his heat to be sure of qualification, and then be at his lifetime best to qualify, but he's in terrific shape and I have every confidence in him."

Joining James on the 200m start line will be Jason Hussain, who clocked a season's fastest 100m in the heats on Friday night, along with reigning European Junior Champion, David Bolarinwa.  Julian Thomas will also start after a recent niggle cleared up, as will England Senior Champion, Edmond Amaning.

"After Adam Gemilli's terrific 100m that secured his Olympic spot, I suspect David will be good for a 200m place in the World Junior Championships, in Barcelona, next month," said John, "but it would be nice to underline a claim to that team place (selected on Monday) in Birmingham."

Other Trackspeed1 competitors may not be in contention for TeamGB, but if recent form is anything to go by, they could upset one or two hopefuls with such tough qualifying conditions.

WEEK OF DESTINY EXTENDS TO DAVID

There is no doubt about it - the next seven days will take an already phenomenal season for Trackspeed1 into orbit - or toward a crash landing!


The Olympic trials this weekend will almost certainly decide the destiny of James Ellington, whose A-standard 200m time set in Geneva 2 weeks ago lines him up as a real contender for Olympic status. For him it is simple - finish first or second in Birmingham, and he is selected for the Olympic Games.  But it isn't just him who will be looking to impress.

The rest of the senior squad - and some juniors too - will be looking to run the race of their lives in front of a capacity Birmingham crowd and, of course, the TV cameras.

The weekend just gone should have been a virtual formality for David Bolarinwa confirming his place in the British Junior team to compete in the World Junior Championships, in Barcelona, next month.  He certainly gained the option of automatic selection in winning the 100m on Saturday, but a sciatic nerve problem forced him to withdraw from the final of the 200m which has become his favoured event of late.

Now David will join training partners at Birmingham and is likely, if fit, to run the 200m to reinforce his claim on selection in the longer sprint.  Selectors meet on Monday to finally decide the team.  The added complication has been that Josh Street clocked 20.90 to win the 200m on Sunday, and so got the one automatic place, only one place remains.

With new GB wonder kid Adam Gemilli having clocked 20.61s in the heats (he too withdrew from the final), if he opted to double at Barcelona in 100m and 200m, David would have to settle for the 100m.

So it's all about Birmingham now, with Ellington leading the Trackspeed1 line-up.  He will be joined by Edmond Amaning, whose outstanding umpteenth personal best of 21.13 in second place at Bedford puts him in with an outside chance of a finals berth in Birmingham.  Jason Hussain will also run both sprints, Andrew Matthews the 100m, and Ed Harrison the 400m hurdles.  Julian Thomas is likely to major on the 200m.


For an update on day one of the World Junior Championship Trials at Bedford, see the earlier blog written on Saturday (16th)

DAVID STRIKES GOLD AS KIERAN HITS OVERDRIVE!

David Bolarinwa (centre) wins his third consecutive 
England Under-20 100 metres title

Trackspeed1 may only have had two athletes competing at Bedford in the World Junior Championship Trials and England National Championships, but what a show they put on!


David Bolarinwa (18) became under-20 100m champion for the third successive year - a feat achieved in the pst only by the likes of Dwain Chambers - and Kieran Daly (19) ripped up his personal best as he switched to overdrive in the under-23 championship.

It was never going to be an easy job for David with a number of highly capable juniors gathering pace behind his dominance of the event in recent years, but they were held off in the final as David clocked 10.40s to strike gold again.

Meanwhile, training partner Kieran Daly had designs on reaching his first ever national final at any level.  The heat saw him clock a lifetime best of 10.78s into a slight headwind - four hundredths faster than ever before.  But then came two sensational sprints.

In the semi-final, despite being drawn in the outside lane, he shot up the straight to finish fourth in 10.58s, marking an improvement on the day of almost two-and-a-half tenths of a second - a phenomenal achievement at that sort of level.

Drawn in a slightly better lane 2 for his first ever national championship final, Kieran proved his new mark was no fluke by clocking 10.62s in fifth place.

"Kieran is the most unassuming, quiet lad, you will meet," said coach John Powell.  "He beavers away in training and his hard work is now paying him dividends, and that's great to see."

Trackspeed1 enter day two of the championships today (Sunday 17th) with David Bolarinwa going head to head with new 100m wonder kid Adam Gemilli in the 200m, while Edmond Amaning will be looking to break into his first national final and make an impression in the same event.

David Bolarinwa is interviewed by Sky Sports News after his 100m victory

***The newest member to Trackspeed1, 16-year-old Joel Harvey, immediately posted a personal best 21.74s (slightly wind assisted) over 200m in winning the Middlesex Schools Championship last week.  Joel, from Eastbourne, but who also boards at Harrow School, will train with the squad for the rest of this summer, and hopes to join TS1 for their winter programme too.

BIG ANTI-CLIMAX AT BEDFORD

The sensational season enjoyed by Trackspeed1 so far, stalled at the Bedford International Games, on Sunday, but coach John Powell reassured that the apparently below-par performances were entirely predictable.

"You can't stay on top of your game forever," he said, "and one or two of our guys have produced some amazing runs in the last couple of weeks.  You can't maintain that mentality week in, week out, and with trials a week (juniors) and 2 weeks (Olympics) away, athletes will find it difficult to raise their game."

That said, John's comments came after a meeting held in pretty good conditions for the UK, but where not one athlete produced a sprints performance on the track of any particular note at all.

Leading performer for Trackspeed1 was Edmond Amaning, the junior who won the England Senior 200m title only seven days earlier at a rain-swept Birmingham.  He clocked an equal personal best time of 21.30s in winning his heat of the 200m, while James Ellington won the main race with a 21.14s run that was so far below par it was barely worth comment by coach or athlete afterwards.

Other results featured Julian Thomas, a Birchfield Harrier from Birmingham who has just recently decided to make the switch to London and join the Trackspeed1 clan.  He clocked 21.27s behind Ellington, but his assault on the 100m failed when cramp set in after only a few metres.

Trackspeed1 coach John Powell paid tribute to former
coach of Julian Thomas, Tony Hadley, this weekend.

"Julian I have known a very long time," said John, "and he will be a fantastic addition to the group.  I have the utmost respect for his previous coach, Tony Hadley, whom I have admired for the best part of 3 decades, and his work with Julian has been phenomenal.  If I do half as good a job I will be a seriously happy man."


All the weekend's performances will be reflected in the squad rankings, available via the home page link on this website, as of tomorrow morning.

TRACKSPEED1 GO WORLD CLASS!

A barmy weekend that saw Trackspeed1 sprinters competing in four different countries inside four days, produced potentially life-changing - and certainly world class - performances in Italy, Germany, Switzerland - and nearer home in the UK.

An Olympic qualifying standard, a world class Junior 200 metres, and a national senior title for an emerging junior athlete, combined to maintain the momentum of a sensational 2012 summer to date for the Crystal Palace-based training squad.

First, James Ellington seized an Olympic Games A-standard qualifying time in Geneva, clocking exactly the required 20.55 seconds that now means all he has to do is finish in the top two in the Olympic Trials in 3 weeks' time, and he is assured of a lane in the biggest show on earth!  But it didn't come without some drama.

Finishing second in the main international race at the annual gala meet, the 26-year-old was shown a non-finisher in the final result until coach John Powell lodged a protest to get things corrected! Wind speeds were almost consistently next to nothing, so it was always about the clock.

A relieved James Ellington and ecstatic coach John Powell give the
thumbs up in Geneva after the athlete's Olympic A-standard 200m
 effort that moves him one stage nearer the Games.

"I'm so relieved," said James, "It's all about the trials now and, although that will be far from easy, at least I'm not chasing times any more.  It's been difficult this year finding the right conditions to run well, and the last thing I need is to be going into that trials meeting still looking for a time.

Just two days earlier Ellington had impressed with a scintillating third leg for Great Britain in the 4 x 100m relay in the Diamond League, in Rome.  He handed over in the lead, but anchor man Levan Yearwood could not hold off a feisty Canadian quartet who pipped the Brits for second.

"James' leg was another class bend," enthused John Powell who had watched it on TV before flying out to join him in Geneva.  "James is again laying down his credentials for Olympic selection in the relay this year - it will take a world class athlete to pass him in the sort of form he's in right now!"

Meanwhile, 18-year-old David Bolarinwa had received a last minute call to represent Britain's senior international quartet in the 4x100m in the annual Regensberg meeting, in Germany, but it wasn't his faultless baton changing that set his day alight!

Competing in the 200 metres later in the meeting, he became the fastest British junior since 2005 as he clocked a wind legal 20.68 seconds - a lifetime best, and a mark that puts him right up with the world leaders just weeks before the World Junior Championships in Barcelona.

David Bolarinwa joined the leading performances in the world by a
 junior over 200m, in Regensberg, Germany, on Saturday

Closer to home, conditions hardly promoted top performances, and as John Powell and James Ellington landed back on home soil, and arrived in Birmingham on Saturday evening, day two of the England Championships on Sunday hardly provided attractive fodder.

Pouring rain and swirling winds affected the majority of performances - except that of another Trackspeed1 junior, Edmond Amaning.  Cruising through the heats, he recorded another lifetime best performance in the semi-final of 21.33 seconds over 200 metres, and lined up as the surprise favourite for the final.

Edmond's progression this year has been nothing short of spectacular having now sliced over half a second off his best 200m time, after a miserable 2011 that saw him spend most of the year on the sidelines injured.  Now he has even had an invitation to join one of the three national junior teams running in the 4x100m relay at the Bedford International Games next Sunday (10th June).

Leading performer in other events was defending 400m hurdles champion Ed Harrison.  Although deposed from his throne, a season's best 52.09s in fourth lace was no mean feat with hamstring problems bugging his final preparation.  In the 200m, Kieron Daly came close to his best in reaching the B final and finishing fifth, while Jason Hussain failed to come to grips with the conditions with heat semi and B-final runs that stopped well short of the excellent form he had shown thus far in 2012.  

Edmond Amaning lands his first major title - the England Senior 200 metres crown -
amid horrendous conditions in Birmingham on Sunday.

Edmond with his gold medal and England 200 metres trophy, which dates back to 1902

GENEVA D-DAY, BRUMMY BECKONS, & EDMOND GETS THE CALL !

Trackspeed1's sensational start to the summer season this year, underpinned by sponsorship support from Surface Technology International, switches into overdrive this weekend, but already they've had some great news to add to their already impressive 2012 track record.

Edmond Amaning - lifetime bests at every outing over
200m this year, now about to get an taste of national
team relay sprinting!

Eighteen-year-old Edmond Amaning was today invited into one of the three Great Britain junior relay teams competing at the Bedford International Games next Sunday June10.  It signals recognition at last of a talent coach John Powell has extolled since first he joined the group in 2010, but whose progress was stalled with repeated hamstring strains last year.

In 2012 he has set personal best times on virtually every outing over 200 metres, and he will hope that this first taste of a national team is anything but his last.  With a best 200m of 21.36s now, he is within touching distance of the World Junior qualifying mark of 21.1s.

Meanwhile, John Powell flew out today to Geneva with physiotherapist Tim Allardyce to support James Ellington's next assault on Olympic qualifying marks in both 100 and 200 metres.  It marks the continuation of a frantic four days for Ellington, who ran a scintillating third leg for Great Britain seniors in the 4x100m relay in the Diamond League meeting, in Rome, last night.

Physio' Tim Allardyce flew out with Trackspeed1 coach John Powell to
Geneva today in support of James Ellington in the 'Atletica Geneve'
International meeting tomorrow (Saturday).

Tomorrow, Ellington runs in Geneva on a track known to be fast and devoid of any significant winds - he set a personal best 100m there 2 years ago, but tore a hamstring in the process.  This year he will be hoping for the performance without the drama! Conditions promise to be near perfect, so it could be a real opportunity.

It is then a sprint to the airport to fly back to a significantly colder UK, and the England Championships in Birmingham on Sunday.  There he will run again over 200 metres - the distance he represented Great Britain at in the World Championships last year.

In the same meeting in the Midlands, Edmond Amaning will join James in the 200m, along with training partners Kieron Daly and Jason Hussain.  Ed Harrison competes in heat and semi-final on Saturday of the 400m hurdles, defending the title he won last year.  The final is on Sunday.  Former international Andrew Matthews goes in the 100m on Saturday.

Junior David Bolarinwa, 18, has flown out with British seniors to Regensberg, Germany, for his first taste of senior competition at international level, as he has joined the British relay squad there, and will also run in an individual 200 metres at that meeting.

"It has been an absolutely cracking start to 2012," said John Powell, "and there is no reason why we shouldn't continue that trend this weekend.  Kieron was the last guy to open up, and he pb'd straight away in the 100m last week.  The job satisfaction for me doesn't get too much better than this!"