Who Are Britain's Stars Of The Future ?

[ultraeventer]

How many times have we seen very good young talents vanish when they hit their teens/in their 20's!!

I believe the likes of Emily pigeon are being pushed too soon. Maybe 1 in 10000 british youngsters will make it like Paula, but compared to how many are in the sport and how many are good its very low. Why?? Over train at a young age/eating disorders hence quit the sport. Agree??[/b]

[frank plunkett]

Should youngsters be encouraged to win when ever they can, because circumstances might mean they do not get a better chance when they older ...who can predict the future...

One to watch out for is the inform jason Ward...my selection for the future!

[AllanT]

How many times have we seen very good young talents vanish when they hit their teens/in their 20's!!

I believe the likes of Emily pigeon are being pushed too soon. Maybe 1 in 10000 british youngsters will make it like Paula, but compared to how many are in the sport and how many are good its very low. Why?? Over train at a young age/eating disorders hence quit the sport. Agree??[/b]

This also brings about the question, is the talent of youth necessarily going to be the best talent of the future anyway? A lot of very good runners were written off at school age because they didn't do the right disciplines. Sometimes it can make someone a better athlete because their potential was not realised at school (if they actually had potential at that age?).

I can think of a lad who used to be one of the best runners in our school, and yet at a recent race was way back in the field, and even people who were not considered the running talent at school age in the same school were placed well in front of him, and were way ahead of him in time as well. They were also in much better shape physically.

[ultraeventer]

I totally agree AllanT. Most good senior runners now were not that good as youngsters, so were not even in the sport!

Yes you have the exceptions of the likes of Paula but agin its rare.

As for events. I no from experience that its about enjoying it when your young, do all events i say!! If it takes you till you are in your 20's to decide what event is for you, then so be it. Your body will be much more mature and able to cope with the demands of the training.

[roadrunner]

As for events. I no from experience that its about enjoying it when your young,

Surely it is always about enjoying it? I hope everyone running, jumoing, throwing etc do it because they enjoy it and not just because they are good it. Running for me is about enjoyment. If I do well even better, but I will be running for a long time yet as I enjoy it.

Enjoy what you do, enjoy life. You only get one shot at it.

[nevetssllim]

I wonder if Kenenisa Bekele has a British uncle or aunt or something so the British can pinch him. A bit like Zola Budd...

It is sooo annoying, we have lots of athletes based in England but represent other countries...Craig Mottram, Trecia Smith, Yamile Aldama. They came in the top 4 of their event respectively at the WC. I think Sammy Kipketer is based here, too.

[nevetssllim]

-Marliyn Okoro
-Mo Farah
-Harry Aryeety Aikeenes
-Simeon Williamson
-Jessica Ennis
-Craig Pickering
-Greg Rutherford
-Ashlee Nelson
-Emily Pidgeon

[ecg]

to much focus on education is the reason athletes dont make it

[The Fool From The Hill]

Sian Edwards is one for the now and future, and a good example of a girl who wasn't at the front of big XC races at U13 and U15. Too many younger runners are burnt out by over enthusiastic parents and coaches before they get going.

Blue is good at longer distances, however, she needs to work on her track speed. 4.55pb for 1500m at U15 top age group is not that great when you consider what she runs for 3k and further out.

[zen]

Greg Rutherford is my youngstar tip for the future, very fast, very springy
top coach, should go all the way!

[welsh track star]

I think there are many athletes that are London 2012 Material.
Most noticable is Ashlee Nelson, only 14/15 and 5th in the Womans junior rankings.. 11.58 is electric.

Also Emily Pidgeon is a teenage phenomenon and @ only 16 is a bright athlete for the future. The 1500/3k is a hottly contested event with Non Standford and Sian Edwards also of high abilites.

But i think many of you have forgotten the how good the junior sprinting has gone this year. Craig Pickering, Alex Nelson, Harry Aikines, Simeon Williamson, Wade Bennet Jackson, Gerald Phiri (All members on GB:AP may i add) have all done great this year, Gerald winning AAA u17 100m, Craig running 10.22 @ Loughbough, Alex Nelson 20.69 200m UK Junior Record, Harry Aikines World Youth 100m and 200m Double.

Also 2005 has seen a rise of a new sprint talent in the name of Chris Clarke. For 100 to 400 his performances have been superb, 10.70 100m, 21.51 200m and 47.55 400m and a AAA Gold @ 400m (u17) and just to remember he was first year u17 last T&F season is defenatly a name for the future.

A great performace in the field is Greg Rutherford who clean jumped 8+ to break a UK Junior Record. With a 10.3 PB @ the 100m he cant be let out of sprints either.

With recent year multi events has been a strong way of getting medals,kelly Southerton, Denise Lewis and Dean Macey. Two athletes that have come throught this year is Jessica Ennis and Guy Stroud who shone @ the world Youths this year.

Also Alex Smith in the hammer smashed the junior hammer record with a 70+ @ a u17, Hannah Frankson breaks TJ u17 record,same as Yaz Regis @ u20 level,Lucy Sargent and Joey Duck is yet another name for the future.

Mabye a bit old but Rhys Williams shon thru @ the WC were there was not much to be proud of. Also Martyn Rooney with a 44.8 split in the 4x400m @ the world champs... GB prospects are looking good for the future... but personaly to much has been put on them bein ''London 2012'' Winners, there are still Commenwealth Games in 06 and 2010, World Champs in 07,09 and 2011 b4 then, and countless other Europaen and Golden League's before London 2012. But biggest of the Bejing 2008.

Gareth

[swifteagle]

I agree with 'welsh track star' and everything he states, but I feel I need to add and re-enforce that Hannah Frankson is definately one to watch. I feel that AW is in love with certain up and coming track and field youth stars who seem to be quoted and lauded over regularily within these pages, it seems Hannah Frankson isn't one of them. More power to GB:AP.

[welsh track star]

I agree with 'welsh track star' and everything he states, but I feel I need to add and re-enforce that Hannah Frankson is definately one to watch. I feel that AW is in love with certain up and coming track and field youth stars who seem to be quoted and lauded over regularily within these pages, it seems Hannah Frankson isn't one of them. More power to GB:AP.

Yes more power to GB:AP

Yeah i agree that AW should big up more athletes such as Hannah Frankson.

But i cant put any more emphasis on Chris Clarke ive seen this guy run 3 times and has wowed me everytime. He has such a good natural ability and only 15 years old (16 in 2006) has such good potensial. 47.55 as a first year u17... not many other famous athletes can boast that can they???

Gareth

[swifteagle]

Once again welsh track star has got great insight and talks alot of sence,
By the way he hasn't pay me to say this.

swifteagle

[welsh track star]

Once again welsh track star has got great insight and talks alot of sence,
By the way he hasn't pay me to say this.

swifteagle

Why thank you sir
Well i am u17 so i do no a lot about the good juniors in the UK... and it does help being a part of GB:AP, a lot of good juniors are a part of it...you should join mate

[welsh track star]

A Nice quick fire interview with Gerald Piri in the lastest issue of AW..... he is something to watch out for... I belive he can give Harry Aikines a good race over 100m and 200m.. Gerlad's year was hit by injury but still manged a 10.3 wind assisted and 10.5 offical time.. he also ran in the Senior AAA's with a 10.54 in the Semi's.. yet another young sprinter joining the ranks of superb junior athletes in the UK (by the way he is also a member of GB:AP )

But now id like to put some emphasis on welsh junior athletes. Welsh athletes had a bumper year of succesfull athletes at national level. Somewhat overshadowed by Chris Clarke this year, Nat Smithies over 400m came 2nd in the AAA's u17 and won the AAA U17 indoor but was later DQ for one step out of the lane. But the biggest talent of the year is Tom Miller. Ranked 5th in UK with a brilliant 49.1 in Carmarthen over 400m defenatly a hot prospect and a great challenger to Chris Clarke this year.

I forgot to add in the last pos i did is about Nathan Fox, during the year, the u15 jumped 14.11 and was the first u15 ever to go over 14 as a u15 in the UK which is a great jump.

Hope ive shed some light over the junior athletes in the UK and mabye it could get a feature in the magazine (AW editors please pay attention )

Gareth (welsh track star)
In with the GB:AP

[pegleg]

Hope ive shed some light over the junior athletes in the UK and mabye it could get a feature in the magazine

Wasn't there a piece on Nathan Fox about 5-6 weeks ago...?

[welsh track star]

Hope ive shed some light over the junior athletes in the UK and mabye it could get a feature in the magazine

Wasn't there a piece on Nathan Fox about 5-6 weeks ago...?

Yes that is true... a think it was a few weeks after the AAA u17/u15 champs....

And i was refering to my little report on junior athletics to get into the magzine.. not Nathan Fox

[Track Allstar]

Once again welsh track star has got great insight and talks alot of sence,
By the way he hasn't pay me to say this.

swifteagle

Why thank you sir
Well i am u17 so i do no a lot about the good juniors in the UK... and it does help being a part of GB:AP, a lot of good juniors are a part of it...you should join mate

Yeah well done Gaz, being a part of GB:AP is amazing, without being on this site (see my sig) i wouldn't have met these fantastic people.
Also you missed my name off Gaz

[swifteagle]

I might have to eat humble pie, cos AW have now run an interview of Hannah Frankson Rising Stars quick fire questions. Good on you AW, but would you have run this article without comments made by 'welsh track star' or myself, Nuff said.

[WALDORF]

Keep your eyes open for Jason Ward...another top performance over 10k this weekend

[roadrunner]

An excellent run by Ward.

Another good runner doing very well at the moment is Tom Minshull. Seelected for the Junior European Team at next months XC.

Well done Tom.

[welsh track star]

One of the first 60m races with year has resulted in a very very quick time by first year u17, Antonio Infantino, ran 7.14 at the Brunel Sprint GP the other day, a name to look out for

Gareth (welsh track star)
In with the GB:AP

[Javelin Sam]

Lets talk Javelin for a second....

i will include some of my athletes only because i have belief that they have the potential do get to the very top with or without my coaching.

Current Juniors that I believe will go on to be huge are:

James campbell - 67m U20 1st yr of 3 - this lad oozes tallent..a bit of a flat year for him after doing so well at the youth commonwealth games..picked himself up to end the season throwing back to his best.
Stuart Harvey - 66m 1st yr of 2 - just how tall is this lad... with arms as long as his and his strength i will be supprised if he does not go over 70m in 2006

Laura Whittingham - 50m - a very athletic looking young lady with pleanty of range to throw the spear much further. great season with good development to bring herself over the 50m barrier...2006 should be an even better year for her!!

one to watch out for in 2006 is Emma christmas..she ranked 20th in this year's U20's she has 2 more years as a junior and since the start of 2004's season she has improved her PB 17m (she's my athlete)

Beneath them there are a few tallented younger throwers

Bonne Buwembo 59m (700g) 54.99m(800g) U17 1st yr (coached by me)
Stephen Reynolds ranked inside the top 20 U17's is basically a beginner at this event. He has awesome strength and determination and will be one to watch for in 2006 as a 2nd yr U17

Jade Dodd - U17 43m... in my personal opinion she has enough tallent to take this event and make it her own... if she can keep with it over the next 5 years she could well be challenging for major honours on the world stage


Supprise package of 2005 with regard to the Senior Men...Mervin Luckwell from Milton Keyenes (spelling). Just 3.5years ago his PB was just short of 50m now his pb is just short of 70m.. at over 6ft3 and 18 stone this awesome powerhouse is one that the rest of the world should be looking out for in years to come!!

all the above views are my own personal views.... if you feel differently to anything that i have put please notify me and i shall make ammendments where necessary

Sam

[welsh track star]

Id like to add to Sam's post it that another talent you have missed out is leianne clarke from Wales, a superb talent, has got the Commenwealth distance many times this year but didnt get into the team, and I belive the won the u20 AAA champs and has broken the Welsh record many of times

Gareth
In with the GB:AP

[Javelin Sam]

Id like to add to Sam's post it that another talent you have missed out is leianne clarke from Wales, a superb talent, has got the Commenwealth distance many times this year but didnt get into the team, and I belive the won the u20 AAA champs and has broken the Welsh record many of times

Gareth
In with the GB:AP

Lianne is a good friend of mine and i DID consider her for the review but i ommitted her for the following reasons...

her performance was well below what she should have achieved this year.. at the last time of speaking to her she informed me that if she didn't make the WCWG squad she would be taking a year out of the sport...if she does that she will never make it..something i advised her against

[welsh track star]

Id like to add to Sam's post it that another talent you have missed out is leianne clarke from Wales, a superb talent, has got the Commenwealth distance many times this year but didnt get into the team, and I belive the won the u20 AAA champs and has broken the Welsh record many of times

Gareth
In with the GB:AP

Lianne is a good friend of mine and i DID consider her for the review but i ommitted her for the following reasons...

her performance was well below what she should have achieved this year.. at the last time of speaking to her she informed me that if she didn't make the WCWG squad she would be taking a year out of the sport...if she does that she will never make it..something i advised her against

Well we still have to conisder she is still in school (Cowbrigde Comp) in Cardiff, but taking a whole year off seems a bit weird, mabye missing a certain champs (like Craig Pickering) is allright, but a whole year, im stumped

Gareth
In with the GB:AP

[WALDORF]

By sounds of your achievements sam I thought you would have been picked for national coach, I gather we do not have one yet.

[Javelin Sam]

By sounds of your achievements sam I thought you would have been picked for national coach, I gather we do not have one yet.

Carolyn Franks is the lady for the Javelin at UKA

[no1fan]

-Jemma Simpson
-Marliyn Okoro
-Mo Farah
-Harry Aryeety Aikeenes
-Simeon Williamson
-Jessica Ennis
-Craig Pickering
-Greg Rutherford
-Ashlee Nelson