Loughborough International 2013

OnTracktoRio stars shine as GB Juniors make the headlines!

Watch out seniors: Dina Asher-Smith stole the show with a time of 23.14 seconds!!
Photo: British Athletics

Diamond League 2013: Shanghai

Olympic Champ returns with third in the pit as James dominates the track.

GB long jumper Greg Rutherford opens his season with a jump of 8.08m.
Photo: teamgb.com

Shanghai brought Olympic champions from all over the world for each event as Meet Records were broke and World Leads created in what was a fascinating Diamond League!

Diamond League 2013- Doha Meeting

Montsho steals the show from Felix on a quiet night for Great British athletes

After Olympic disappointment the 400m runner now seems in top shape for 2013!
 Photo:Supersport

OnTracktoRio- Matthew McLaughlin

            Cram, Coe, Ovett...McLaughlin?

2013 is only the beginning: McLaughlin after his UK junior indoor record in Ireland.

Tracktics has only spoke to 1500m UK junior indoor Matthew McLaughlin! Even better than that Matthew has just been picked for team GB so this is a talent that is only going to get bigger!

Advice from a champion- Leon Baptiste

"That if i want something, never to give up, keep trying and hopefully things will work out for the better and so it did."

Baptiste is back: Baptiste became the first british sprinter to win a gold medal 
on the world stage in 12 years.  Photo: Telegraph

Tracktics exclusively spoke to Double Commonwealth Games champion Leon Baptiste. As Baptiste looks to defend his titles next year, the 200 and 4x100 metre champion also wanted to give advice to upcoming track athletes and how it all happened for him... 

OnTracktoRio- Deji Tobais

Watch out Bolt

At just 21 GB 200m runner Deji Tobais is already hitting 20 second times!

OnTracktoRio- Kirsten McAslan

    Tracktics have found another 400m star for the future in Kirsten McAslan!
    At just 19, Kirsten is to compete for Scotland at next year's Commonwealth Games! Ranked number one last year in the country her Under 20 age group, she trains alongside one of GB's most successful middle distance athletes in Jenny Meadows, being tipped for big things on the Track!

OnTracktoRio- André Wright

After speaking to one of GB's 100 & 200 metres hottest properties in James Alaka. 

Tracktics have gone to Under 23 level to find Medway & Maidstone/ Brunel University athlete André Wright. 100 & 200m specialist André has made big steps to becoming a real talent...

Find out about how Wright has already begun his U23 season with a BANG and his inspiration through faith Also his idol in Perri Shakes-Drayton!

OnTracktoRio- James Alaka

After the sheer interest in Victoria Ohurugou who is bound to be a star on the Track...
Tracktics had to find an interview with a Champion Athlete and we did...

Futures bright: Alaka see's Rio 2016 as his destiny.

James Alaka was ranked six last year in GB for 100 metres at just the age of 22.
He was also ranked second last year in the Country for 200 metres with a time of 20.45 seconds.
Want to find out more about one of team GB's biggest sprinting prospects?

OnTracktoRio- Victoria Ohuruogu

Tracktics first female athlete comes in Victoria Ohuruogu. Sister of Beijing 2008 Olympic Champion Christine. Victoria has shown glimpses of the 400m talent her sister holds winning national championships.

Although it is clear the sister love is there, we spoke to Victoria about not being known as just Christine's sister but who she is and what she hopes to achieve sport.

With team GB Victoria is taking every season as it comes after injury
Photo: PA

OnTracktoRio- Roy Ejiaku

After looking last week at Sale Harrier athlete Andy Robertson, Tracktics discovered that there is Sprint storm coming from SportCity in Manchester.. 
As we spoke to 200 metre Great Britain Junior Roy Ejiaku.

The Sale Harrier talks about juggling his final year at A levels with his Track life and on how he doesn't plan to stop until he hits the top!

Best of Britain: Ejiaku taking Gold at the Celtic International Cup 

OnTracktoRio- Andy Robertson

With Great Britain having not had a sprint medallist at the Olympics since Linford Christie in 1992. 

Many will be wondering if Great Britain can ever challenge the likes of Jamaica who dominated the sprints in London.

Tracktics have picked out 60m 100m & 200m GB star Andy Robertson who see's only Gold as the aim for Rio.

Robertson for Rio: Andy hopes to break into the top 10 GB 100m sprinters for the 2013 season

OnTracktoRio - Jordan Bransberg

We begin our quest in finding GB's next possible Track medallist for Rio 2016.

On Track to glory: Jordan Bransberg of Skyrac AC

Review: British Athletics Indoor Grand Prix

Farah wins in style as Team Christie bosses Birmingham

Farah steals the show once again.

Birmingham as predicted did not disappoint, with some world class performances it also continued with team GB athletes showing they were more than capable of challenging the world's best.
Mo Farah won with ease to carry on his winning ways into 2013. Farah strolled to victory in the men's 3000m in a time of 7 minutes and 42 seconds. Farah also came out with the news that he will be doing the London Marathon (sponsored by Virgin reason being) however he will only do half in 2013 and a full one in 2014.
Some great news for middle distance running in this country was that in Michael Rimmer and Jenny Meadows. Rimmer strickened by injury won his race against a world class field as he showed his delight on how much he left with 100m to go and hopefully it will be a season he can really push to be with the best. Meadows having not run since 2011 was delighted to be back and although third showed by no means she has let any of her fighting spirit slip and cannot be ruled out for a medal when it comes to the World Championships.
The non GB athlete performance of the day had to be handed to the Ivory Cost athlete Murielle Ahoure beating Carmelita Jeter & Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce she hit a P.B and world lead time of 6.99 seconds which was even a shock to her!
Team Christie though came out with the most success. the Former Olympic Champion's group had wins from Margaret Adeoye in the 400 metres showing plenty of potential. Luke Lennon Ford still only 23 took the 2 lap indoor race showing even more strength in the 400 metres for the GB men. Whilst Tracktics pick Nigel Levine didn't disappoint as he came from third to first in a high class field to power through to the finish line. Richard Strachan also part of Linford Christie's group took a very respectable third. Other performances from Rion Pierre and Greg Cackett in the 60 metres shows that as group Team Christie have obviously been working very hard to build from London with Moscow ( World Champs) in mind.
The only disappointing GB performance came in Dwain Chambers. Who after having a back injury recently, didn't even make it out of his heats. Chambers admitted after he hasn't done enough training and hinted it maybe time to pass on for someone to take up the number one spot for GB sprinting although i doubt he will be giving that up without a fight. The men's 60m was conquered by an American after Michael Rodgers marked his return with a win defeating Jamaican Nesta Carter in the process.

                                Dwain Chambers reflects after being knocked out in the 60m heats          

Being in the mix zone for the first time with Athleticos, i spoke to numerous athletes in what was a great experience. I also picked up some interesting news too...

• GB's Shara Proctor who won her long jump event will not be going to Gothenburg as she continues with her training she wants to focus on her outdoor season. (See more for interview) 
• Sprint legend Kim Collins spoke to Athleticos about his relationship with his country ST Kitts Nevis after his was withdrawn from the Olympics after not staying in the Olympic village. Wouldn't say he is too fond on his countries representatives.                           
• New UKA coach Peter Eriksson was floating about and he seemed particularly pleased with Elidih Child personally coming to congratulate her on her P.B performance in the 400m. Not something you would see with old coach Charles Van Commenee.
• With coach Rana Reider moving over from the U.S to Loughborough we spoke to many of his athletes on how they were settling into life in the U.K. All positive feedback with World Class hurdler Danielle Carruthers told us how she was loving a good little shop at Tesco!                    

To view all interviews go to www.athleticos.org

All great news for Team GB building up for the European Indoors which take place from the 1st March to the 3rd March.

Preview: British Athletics Indoor Grand Prix

Athletics is well and truly back. After promising signs from last weeks Indoor National Championships, some of team GB's top athletes will come to Birmingham full of confidence. This though is to be their toughest test so far as they come up against some of the top athletes from around the world.

The meet kicks off with one of Great Britain's finest prospects Holly Bleasdale in the Pole Vault. At only 21, Bleasdale has made it clear that by Rio she will be at the "top of her game." Fresh from her World lead clearance of 4.77m last week, she will hope to build on her 6th position finish in London by making a real impact at this years European Indoors in a couple of weeks. The Blackburn Harrier though faces stiff competition coming up against Olympic Silver medallist Yarisley Silva from Cuba.

The 60m heats then follow as the sprint battle between the Jamaicans and Americans continues. Not so much the well known names of the track but still an extremely strong field.  Nesta Carter and 60m specialist Lerone Clarke look the men to be beaten from Jamaica. Meanwhile America's Mike Rodgers cannot be written off, returning to the track after his 9 month ban from a failed drugs test. GB's best hope comes in the reliant figure of Dwain Chambers who with the right start could easily be up there in the top three.

The 400 metres could be the race that causes an upset. A distance that has not had too much success in recent years in this country, is starting to produce some real talent. The pairing of Nigel Levine and Richard Strachan battled it out to first and second last week in the National championships. Both included in this race will see this as a great experience for the European indoors. Up against a strong field with the likes of Olympic Silver medallist Lugulein Santos and Bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon. If either Brit was to finish ahead of such a strong field it would be a true message of intent for the Europeans.

Up next is the showcase event, the 60m women's heats and final. With the top two from the women's 100m at last summer's Olympic Games will go to head to head as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce faces Carmelita Jeter.  Fraser-Pryce a double Olympic Champion and known for her quick start has to be considered the favourite. Whilst Jeter who came second to Verena Sailer last month in Glasgow will be feeling the pressure but it would be stupid to write off a world class athlete in the American.

Britain's Olympic bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz will be hoping to win in front of a home crowd. Born in Birmingham he will come up against Olympic Champion Ivan Ukhov, however it is his rivalry with Aleksey Dmitrik that will test him, if he is to win Gold at the European Indoors.

                            Robbie Grabarz hoping to show he has what it takes in the High Jump.

Last but certainly not least is Double Olympic Champion Mo Farah taking to the track for the first time as he competes in the 3,000m. The 29 year old has set indoor records at the stadium before and there is seen to be little competition in making it a first win for 2013.

In other news for Team GB Jenny Meadows returns to the track for the first time since September 2011 in the 800m. Hannah England will also compete for the first time in 2013. 

Both promising signs for long distance running as both have been frustrated by injury.

  Tracktics Pick: Nigel Levine has the potential and 2013 will be the year he produces.


Coverage: Saturday 16th February. BBC 1: 1300-1630



Tracktics will bring a review on the event the following day.