Has Britain found its needle in the Haystack?
Jan 27 2012 |
Written by
James Newbon
Having recently come away from the Short Course 3km event at the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country meeting with a second place finish and only 5 seconds behind Olympic gold medallist Asbel Kiprop (leaving two other gold medallists in his wake), Jonny Hay is making a name for himself in the athletics world. The product of Aldershot, Farnham and District Athletics Club already has a European Under 20 bronze medal to his name and is a potential prospect for this year’s Olympics. The 19 year old is currently studying his first year of a chemistry degree at the University and I met up with him to discuss his recent success, his aims and training at the University.
How did you get into running?
At primary school, my P.E. teacher said why don’t you go down to a local club, you look pretty good. So I wondered down and I’ve been there ever since.
You’ve run various different distances from 1500m through to 5km on both the track and cross country. What’s your preferred discipline?
I think my favourite distance is the 1500m but I’d say my best distance is the 5km on the track. I just enjoy a bit more of the thrill in the 1500m. It’s more of a competitive event at times and you never know what’s going to happen in it.
But it was in the 5km that you came 3rd in Estonia, so how did you come to be selected to represent Great Britain’s Under 20 team?
I had the trial two weeks before Estonia, which was the UK Nationals, and I won both the 1500m and the 5km there but decided to run the 5km in Estonia. Out in Estonia it was pretty hot so in a way I sometimes wish I’d done the 1500m purely because of the heat. I think the temperature was up to 29 degrees and 75% humidity so it was pretty difficult out there.
But the race went OK, although I was slightly disappointed with third as I had the quickest time going into the event by something like 14 seconds. But I came out of the race knowing I’d put everything into it. I staggered across the line and was suffering from heat exhaustion for the next 45 minutes so I put everything into it.
So how come you chose the 5km over the 1500m?
I believed I was better and had a higher chance of winning an event at the Europeans by winning the 5km. I had a fairly healthy distance and time going into it that I could win by, and believed that with my fitness I could pretty much have anyone over the last 400m who was still there. The 1500m is a bit more risky, which is why I enjoy it in a way, but I chose to go for the safer option.
Moving onto Edinburgh, was that the first time you challenged senior athletes at that level?
At that level, yes. I’d done a little European club event for seniors but that was nothing major compared to this. Being up against three Olympic champions is something quite different.
So I take it the result wasn’t expected. What were your aims prior to the race?
A top ten or top eight finish and first British athlete home was the aim. So I was pretty chuffed with the performance and was surprised as well. I just seemed to move through well and next thing I know I’m going past [Kenenisa] Bekele and the like.
What was going through your mind at that point? Were you aware you were in the midst of Olympic champions?
The only one I noticed was Bekele when I overtook him. But later on in the race and down the home straight, I had no idea who I was going past and it was only when I finished and could look back and see who I’d beaten that I could go ‘wow, that’s pretty cool.’
It’s given me a boost of confidence that I can hit the senior age group with. I know my aspirations aren’t too far apart from how I’m running at the moment.
Talking about aspirations, I see you were in the Daily Mail’s ‘London 2012 Athletics Watch’. Are the Olympics this year a possibility or are you looking further ahead?
I think it’s a possibility, yes. I never rule any event out. However, my main aim for the season is senior Europeans. If I run well enough to get selected off the back of that for the Olympics, it’d be amazing.
Here at Birmingham, what is your training routine?
I have a training partner, Niall Fleming, who’s also studying at Birmingham and we do most of the sessions on our own. But I also run with the athletics group quite often.
How does that differ from training at Aldershot, Farnham and District?
I think the biggest difference is the sessions. When I’m up here I only have Niall whereas down there it’s a bigger training group. At times it’s tougher, but you’ve got to knuckle through the hard patches because you always come out stronger that way.
What do you aim to have completed by the time you leave university?
It’s a long way ahead. There are a lot of events in between: this year’s Europeans, the Olympics, the Worlds next year and Commonwealths in a few years’ time. Hopefully I’ll perform in all to a certain standard and possibly by the end I’ll even be meddling at a major championship.
Shortlink: http://redbrick.me/35529
Written by
James Newbon
on Jan 27 2012. Filed under Sports, University Features.
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