Although out injured for the last six weeks and currently sitting his final year’s exams at UWIC, nothing will stop
Chris Gowell from retaining gold in the 1500m in the Welsh Senior Athletics Championships later this month in Swansea.
Running for his club, Swansea Harriers, Gowell clinched victory last year in the 1500m in 3:57:62 for the first time in eight years and is confident he can run away with the gold medal again this year.
“I’ve been out with injury over the last few weeks with my knee and I’m due to go for an MRI scan soon to see exactly what the problem was. The main thing however is that I’m back in training now and I’m going to put everything into the Championships next month and the Olympic trials in July.”
Currently ranked 3rd in the UK over 800m, the 22-year-old firmly believes he has not lost a great deal of fitness as a result of the injury and that the big event will be the Olympic trials in July where he will run at his usual distance of 800m.
He explains, “This is the big race for me and I will be expecting a great deal from myself. There’s no reason why I can’t perform on the day and get a good time under my belt. The 800m is a competitive discipline but I’m going to go out there and do my best to qualify.”
Matt Newman from Welsh Athletics explained: “The Welsh Championships is the stepping stone for our talented, young athletes to become successful seniors. Athletics in Wales has a long and illustrious history but the future is looking equally bright with emerging talents across a number of disciplines, particularly athletes on the Welsh Talent Development Academy.”
Gowell is supported by the Academy. The WTDA is a Welsh Athletics programme designed to help catapult talented athletes with developmental potential to the top. Made up of 14 athletes, it ensures that the young talents have the necessary support needed to progress onto the UK: Athletics World Class Pathway - a programme that focusses on podium and top eight success at Olympic and World level.
The apprentices are set to benefit from expert coaching, injury support as well as a performance managed budget which can help with the costs of training and competing in domestic and international fixtures.
The Welsh Senior Athletics Championships is to be held at the University of Swansea Athletics Track on Sunday 15 June from 11.30 - 17.30. The cost of entry is £5 and a programme is included in the price.
The Aviva National Championships Incorporating the Team GB Selection Trials will be held in Birmingham from the 11-13 July.
For more information, please contact Jane Williams at Welsh Athletics on 029 2033 8274
For full results, please contact:
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Welsh Athletics
Cardiff Athletics Stadium
Leckwith Road
Cardiff
CF11 8AZ
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Tel: 02920 644870
Fax: 02920 342687
E-mail: office@welshathletics.org
Website: www.welshathletics.org
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N.B. Office hours: 09.00 to 17.00 hrs Monday to Friday.
Telephones answered 10.00 to 16.00
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