Lostock's Ola Abidogun is convinced the 2010 World Junior Championships will be the perfect stepping stone in his bid to compete at the London 2012 Paralympics.
The talented athlete spent the weekend rubbing shoulders with Norwich Union performance advisors Jason Gardener and Katharine Merry at an inaugural World Class Talent Camp in Loughborough.
The 15-year-old sprint star is one of 65 youngsters handpicked by UK Athletics’ newly-appointed head coach Charles van Commenee to join the programme.
And the Horwich Harrier revealed his weekend with former British Olympians such as Gardener and Steve Backley had doubled his desire to top the podium in Christchurch in New Zealand in two years’ time.
“I’ve got to knuckle down this year and try and focus on getting my times down in preparation for the World Championships in 2012,” he said.
“In 12 months time I’d like to be running 11.3 seconds while at the moment my personal best is 11.7.
“I think that’s very achievable and it would represent good progress.
“And coming to events such as this are only going to make me improve. Learning these new training drills and procedures has been the highlight for me.
“I think that is what’s going to prove most useful in the future. I’ve never been in it for the money or anything like that but it is a nice feeling to know that despite the restructuring in funding I’ve been selected.”
Abidogun was one of 22 young athletes present in Loughborough to pick the brains of, among others, former World Junior 100m champion and GB Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey – a product of the World Class Talent Programme.
And the Canon Slade School pupil, who is 200m national champion for his age group, believes his place on the programme can catapult him to the Olympic stage in four years’ time at London 2012.
“It’s hard to describe how I felt to find out I was on the programme,” he added.
“I was definitely happy and I’m hoping I can stay on the programme until London 2012 and beyond. London 2012 is very much on the horizon for me – it’s what I want out of life.”
Norwich Union supports athletes joining the UKA World Class Talent Programme and aims to provide mentoring and coaching support for them through the Norwich Union performance advisors.
To find out more on the programme, visit www.joinourteam.com.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article