Spring 1999 - British Milers Club

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BMC April 1999 6/6/99 9:07 pm Page 20Focus on the Futureby Tony WardThe future of British middle-distance runninglies with the young men and women who wereborn sometime during the great distancerunning epoch of Coe, Cram and Ovett. Thedawn of that era of record-breaking, balmynights on tracks across Europe is now overtwenty years ago when raw ambition drove thethree miling musketeers nearer and nearer tothe ultimate (wherever that might be!).BMC races, almost the raison d'être of theclub, have figured in the careers of all three,most notably that of Seb Coe; for him the BMCraces were an important, almost vital, part ofhis development and so it is proving yet againas the profiles of the most promising youngBMC runners of 1998 show.Interestingly, three of the top juniors are allat Seb's alumni, Loughborough. It isimportant to rekindle that flame of ambition inthe promising talent that we have. It isimportant not to be satisfied with mediocrity,to just wanting to don a British vest and thennot to care what one does in it. It is importantto nurture the talent that exists and for thattalent to receive the very best coaching and thevery best management that we have.Mediocrity breeds mediocrity, as developmentsin other events have shown, but nowwith more professionalism and more fundingthe time has come to grasp this nettle and rootit out of that part of our sport that carries theproudest tradition.CHARLOTTE MOORE (14)Charlotte has another year in the Under 15Õs.She's got bests of 2:14.5 and 4:37.0. Last year,in the English Schools, she ran fourth in theJunior 1,500 metres. She was particularlypleased because she ended the 1998 seasonwith the best performances of her career, inraces at Bournemouth and Reading.She is a member of Bournemouth AC andshe's been coached by Keith New and TomCochrane for around two years. In 1999 shewants to do well at the English Schools (hermain target) and to set new personal bests atboth 800m and 1,500m. Long term? "I want tomake a successful transition to the seniorranks," Charlotte said, "and then go on toperform really well."She joined the BMC about two years ago toget quality racing and the club has served herwell in this regard (she made a big breakthroughat one of the Millfield races) becauselack of competition was holding her back. TheBMC, Charlotte said, "has been really good."What would help her in the future would bemore races like the Millfield School races and,in particular, for the BMC to stage races for herage group at weekends. "A lot of the races areon weekday evenings," she said, "and if you'reat school this makes life difficult."LISA DOBRISKEY (15)Lisa is a member of Ashford AC and hasbeen coached by Stella Bandu for 3 years. Shehas personal bests (set in 1998) of 2:11.21 and4:38.1. She won the English Schools Junior 800metres title last year and went on to capture theAAA Under 15 title at Sheffield. In Februarythis year she won the Schools IndoorInternational Under 15 800m by almost fourseconds in 2:14.54. Her main aim for 1999 is torun a sub-2:10 800 metres and her long termaim is to represent Great Britain. "That's mydream," she said, "to follow in the footsteps ofKelly Holmes."She was looking for competitive 1,500metres races and there were none in Kent butthen her coach discovered the BMC races atWatford and she travelled there and took part ina mixed age group race. "My big problem,"Lisa said, "is lack of concentration but in thatrace I really had to concentrate hard and itbrought me through to an excellent time. Isigned up for the BMC on the spot!"More competition for her age group issomething that Lisa requires. "What more canthe BMC do for me?" she said. "I thinkproviding more age category races would bevery useful"ANDREW FULFORD (16)Andrew gravitates to the Under 20 ranks thisyear. He's a member of Swindon AC and hasbeen coached by Rod Vickers for six years. Hehas set all his pbÕs in BMC races, including hisBritish Milers’ Club Junior Records (as at 1st May 1999)BMC Junior Members’ Record “BMC Junior Record” BMC Junior Club Recordby a paid-up BMC junior member by any junior by a paid-up BMC junior memberin a BMC race in a BMC race in any race world-wideJunior MenM800 1:47.69 Simon Lees 1998 1:47.69 Simon Lees 1998 1:45.77 Steve Ovett 1974M1000 2:23.4 Justin Swift-Smith 1993 2:23.4 Justin Swift-Smith 1993 2:20.0 Steve Ovett 1973M1500 3:42.2 Paul Wynn 1983 3:42.2 Paul Wynn 1983 3:40.90 David Robertson 1992M Mile 3:59.4 Steven Ovett 1974 3:59.4 Steven Ovett 1974 3:59.4 Steven Ovett 1974M3000 no mark under 8:05.0 7:53.40 * Mizan Mehare U20 ETH 1998 no mark under 8:05.0M5000 14:17.2 Samuel Haughian 1998 13:28.6 * Mizan Mehare U20 ETH 1998 no mark under 14:00Junior WomenW800 2:06.5 Rachel Hughes 1982 2:04.6 * Janet Lawrence 1977 2:02.0 Jo White 1977W1000 no mark under 2:50.0 no mark under 2:50.0 2:38.58 Jo White 1977W1500 4:20.0 Bev Hartigan 1986 4:16.4 * Julie Holland 1984 4:13.40 Wendy Sly 1976W3000 9:25.95 Amber Gascoigne 1998 9:25.95 Amber Gascoigne 1998 9:09.14 Lisa York 1989W5000 no mark under 16:30.0 16:30.38 * Louise Kelly 1998 no mark under 15:00.0* denotes non-member20BMC News : Spring 1999
BMC April 1999 6/6/99 9:07 pm Page 21Focus on the Futurebest ever of 1:53.9 in 1998. He ran fifth in theEnglish Schools Intermediate 800 metres. Hewill be targeting the European Youth Olympicsand the inaugural World Under 18Championships in 1999 and hopes to make it asa "professional" athlete in the senior ranks. Hejoined the BMC to get "fast pace races" and theclub has certainly fulfilled his expectations inthat regard.He believes (as does his coach) that Britishathletes do not aim high enough and seem tolack the necessary speed to sustain a fast pace."In the BMC races," he said, "you get really fastpacemaking; it's important to go with it, hangon and then pick people off." His own target ishigh: breaking 1:50 in 1999.CATHERINE RILEY (16)Catherine was the fastest Under 17 800metres runner in Britain last year, with 2:09.9.She won the English Schools Intermediate titleat Exeter and before that the 1998 AAA Under17 indoor title. Her best is 2:10.1 indoors.She's a member of Park High School AC inBurnley and is coached by Mike Kindle.Catherine has had a very successful (andslightly heady!) 1999 indoor season, representingGreat Britain Juniors against France andGermany in an indoor meeting in Paris, runningthird behind two German competitors. Shewent warm weather training with a BOAEuropean Youth Olympics squad.About two years ago Catherine followed anumber of friends, who had competed regularlyat Stretford, into the BMC and has beendelighted with the result. "I've set a number ofpbs in BMC races" she says. "Running witholder athletes gives you the opportunity to runfaster times. I don't think there is much morethat the club can do for me - except to keep onstaging the races!"She's pacing her career at the present time.In 1999 she'll be concentrating on the EuropeanYouth Olympics and possibly the EuropeanJunior Championships. "I just want to keep onimproving," she said. "I'll take each race as itcomes."ALEXANDRA CARTER (19)Alex Carter is a member of Vale Royal and isnow at Loughborough. She was top rankedUnder 20 runner at 800 metres with 2:08.2,convincingly won the English Schools 1,500mtitle in 4:32.41 and is second ranked at thatevent with 4:25.3. "I've had a good winter'straining at Loughborough," Alex said. It hasshowed with her winning indoors againstFrance and Germany in Paris and making theGreat Britain Under 20 team for the WorldCross-Country Championships in Belfast (notbad for someone who is, essentially, a trackrunner!). Coached by John Davies, she is thedaughter of Andy Carter, former Europeanbronze medallist, who set the first ever BMC800m record, (whose best time, incidentally, of1:45.13, a UK record set in 1973, has not beenbettered by a British athlete for the last fiveyears).Like her father she used the BMC races togood effect with her 800 metres pb coming inthe Stretford race in August and the 1,500mtime at the same venue in June. She had threeruns below 4:27. "You get good pacing in theraces," Alex, who joined the BMC two yearsago, said, "and so you get quality times." Shewould like to see the BMC arrange races priorto selection dates (she missed out on the WorldJunior because she ran out of races).In 1999 her main target is the EuropeanJunior Championships. She also intends to mixher races more between 800 and 1,500m. Latershe hopes to gravitate to senior internationalstatus.CHRIS MOSS (19)Chris Moss is at Loughborough University.At home (Chislehurst) he represents BlackheathHarriers. Chris was sixth in last year's WorldJunior Championships in Annecy, after winningPhoto by: ShearmanSimon Lees (7) and Chris Moss (8) bothsetting lifetime bests behind British number 1Andy Hart at last year’s BMC Grand Prix finalat Solihull.his heat and semi-final. His time of 1:48.77 wasa pb at the time. Earlier in the year he won theUnder 20 800 metres title. He's coached byGeorge Gandy and has bests of 1:48.43 and3:48.3 both of which he set in BMC races, the800m in last year's Grand Prix final where hewas the highest placed junior and the 1,500m atWatford. His main short-term aim is to makethe Great Britain Under 23 team for theEuropean Championships. Longer term? "Runquicker," he said, "and if that brings honoursand championships with it, well and good."He's been a member of the BMC for three orfour years. He joined because, as a top junior,he was looking for top quality races. "Whenyou're running as a good junior," he said, "it'sdifficult to get motivated in many races.Getting into the BMC was great because youknow you can get good quality competition."He feels that BMC don't need to change but tojust carry on providing the high quality competitionthat it does now.He thinks that British middle-distancerunning is suffering at the moment because of ageneral lack of ambition. "People aren't aiminghigh enough," he said, "they're setting theirtargets too low. 1:43 is world class; our peopleseem to be content with 1:45."SIMON LEES (19)Simon Lees is also at LoughboroughUniversity where he will resume rivalry withChris Moss (to whom he ran second to in theAAA Under 20Õs). "We're good friends," hesaid, "and bring out the best in each other."Simon was the fastest junior 800 metres runnerin Britain last year with 1:47.69, a time he set inthe BMC race in Solihull in September. Itcompensated for his World JuniorChampionships run in Annecy when he hadcontracted an ear infection, was full of antibioticsand did not do himself justice in his heat.When at home he is a member of Solihull andSmall Heath and is coached by Paul Wallace.He has a 1,500m best of 3:47.8. He enters theUnder 23 ranks this year and is aiming at theEuropean Under 23 Championships and theWorld Student Games. Longer term he has hiseye on the Sydney Olympics.Simon joined the BMC basically to "get fastraces". "You know," he said, "that if you run ina BMC race it will be of a good quality, withgood pacemaking. That has given me themotivation that I require because often locally Ididn't get the competition that I needed. I thinkthat the Grand Prix series has been reallyexcellent. I don't think that the BMC need domore - just keep churning out the fast races!"BMC News : Spring 199921
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Spring 1999 - British Milers Club

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