Atheltics Weekly

FEATURE
STEVE JONES
As the Welshman points out,
Hawkins will head into the IAAF World
Championships marathon in London as
something of a marked man, given his
ninth-place finish at the Rio Olympics last
summer and the impressive performances
which have followed since.
“He’s a very quiet guy but he’s very
determined and positive about his
work ethic,” says Jones, who also still
holds the Welsh record for 10,000m. “I,
probably like many other people, didn’t
quite see the rise to fame that he’s had.
I saw the potential there and the first
time he came out (to Boulder) he kind
of played with the guys in my group, as
he’s prone to do sometimes. That really
showed me the kind of potential he had if
he really focused. Obviously he has done
that since then.
“He’s got a very old head on young
“WHEN HE FIRST CAME
OVER HE KIND OF PLAYED
WITH THE GUYS IN MY
GROUP. THAT SHOWED
THE POTENTIAL HE HAD”
shoulders and he’s further forward right
now in terms of maturity than I thought
he would have been. He seems to have
fallen on his feet and into the right slot
where he belongs.”
In his racing pomp, Jones’ trademark
was a belligerent, never-say-die approach
devoid of fear. Hawkins, too, has become
known for a brave front-running style in
which he clearly stretches every sinew to
reach his objective. As it turns out, the
pair are more than a little alike in many
ways.
“The work ethic is very similar,”
says Jones when asked if he can
see something of himself in Hawkins.
“We both seem to have grasped the
opportunities we’ve had given to us, and
that we’ve earned, with both hands.
“There are a lot of similarities between
him and myself. When he’s sitting in my
kitchen eating his breakfast or when he’s
just come back from a run … he’s very
dedicated about what he does and very
methodical about what he does, too.
“He’ll be quiet for quite a time and then
he’ll just ask me a question that gets me
talking. I’m just as quiet as he is – I’m
happy for him to be there and not ask me
anything – but once we get talking we talk
about some of the stuff I used to do or
how I prepared for something in particular
but it isn’t a million miles away from what
he’s doing.”
Hawkins’ preparation will come
under some intense scrutiny again on
the streets of London, the scene of his
breakthrough performance during the
marathon last year which sealed his place
for Rio.
Upon reaching Brazil, he raised a few
eyebrows by hitting the front of a field
containing the likes of eventual winner
and endurance superstar Eliud Kipchoge.
The same surprised onlookers were not
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