On 19-22 August nine ‘On Camp with Kelly’ athletes travelled to Berlin, Germany, to attend an Aviva funded educational camp at the IAAF World Athletics Championships.
Charlotte Best, Tara Bird, Laura Finucane, Alison Leonard, Emma Pallant, Charlotte Purdue, Stacey Smith, Simon Horsfield and Ricky Stevenson had previously travelled to Monte Gordo, Portugal, on 5-8 August to experience the Aviva GB & NI Team’s holding camp, and now they were given the opportunity to see those athletes in action as well as learn about every aspect of a global championships.
The athletes, with OCWK supervisors Julie Asgill and Andy Graffin arrived in Berlin on Wednesday 19 August in time to watch that evening’s action at the Olympiastadion. Watching Usain Bolt in the 200m semi-finals and Yusuf Saad Kamal edging out Deresse Mekonnen and Bernard Lagat in the men’s 1500m final were real highlights that evening.
However, the race of the night came undoubtedly in the women’s 800m final and the OCWK athletes cheered vociferously for the two British athletes, Marilyn Okoro and Jenny Meadows. While Caster Semenya from South Africa strode away for an emphatic victory the battle for the minor medals was scintillating and Meadows made a late dash for the line, snatching a brilliant bronze medal, just inches away from the silver, and improving her personal best to a world class 1.57.93 in the process.
Emma Pallant said: “Jenny’s race inspired me because of how she didn't let anything compromise her focus. It was great to see all the hard work pay off for her, certainly a real highlight of the trip.”
The morning of 20 August saw the athletes carry out training sessions on the roads and in the nearby gym before making their way to the track to observe the men’s 800m heats. There were seven heats, giving the athletes the opportunity to study the different race tactics, both successful and unsuccessful, employed when competing in a first round heat.
In the afternoon, before watching the action unfold in the stadium, the OCWK athletes were given a unique opportunity as they were taken on a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium by 800m world record holder, Wilson Kipketer. They were shown the warm up area - a 400m track situated adjacent to the stadium and they saw the Aviva GB & NI Team’s tent where the physiotherapists and masseurs were situated. The first call room, a large tent fitted with TV screens, was also in the warm up area and the athletes made the very long walk through the tunnel down to second call, allowing them to experience what it would be like as a competing athlete in a global championships.
Alison Leonard said: “Before we walked down the tunnel, we all laughed at the sign that said there was a shuttle service if required for the 100m competitors, but the walk was actually very long! It was also just a completely straight tunnel, which looked like it went on forever. If it was my first global championships I could imagine feeling pretty daunted by the journey out to the track. This experience will help me be better prepared for what awaits.”
The athletes were then shown the medical centre and the second call room before walking through the entrance where the athletes would enter the track.
As the tour was taking place, the athletes quizzed Wilson Kipketer about anything and everything! Questions were constantly fired at him, from asking about his eating habits to how much he trained, from his favourite music to who he fancied for the 800m title. Wilson very kindly answered each and every question before posing with every athlete for an individual picture as well as group shots.
At the end of the tour there was an additional surprise, they would be attending a press conference. The OCWK athletes sat with Wilson amongst reporters from across the globe. The press conference was about the unveiling of the new IAAF logo. Joanna Hayes, the American sprint hurdler, led the conference with Michael Johnson and Trindad’s Jehue Gordon, the 17-year-old who came fourth in the men’s 400m hurdles final to either side of her. Every question asked was fired at Johnson, all concerning Usain Bolt. The conclusion of the conference saw the 400m world record holder pass a relay baton to the prodigiously talented 400m hurdler, symbolising change in the IAAF and welcoming a new generation of talent. OCWK athletes were then photographed with Michael Johnson (see photo below) before he departed to return to his BBC duties.
The athletes headed for lunch accompanied by a Sportsbeat reporter who interviewed each athlete about their experiences so far in Berlin.
Charlotte Purdue said: “It’s important to do media stuff on these trips, mainly so we can thank Aviva for the amazing opportunities that they have given us. I am enjoying myself so much. It has been very exciting and interesting to see the athletes prepare in Monte Gordo and now to watch them compete. We are very lucky, thank you Kelly and Aviva!”
The events that OCWK athletes enjoyed the most that evening in the stadium were Brit Mo Farah’s excellent qualification from his 5000m heat, the thrilling women’s high jump final which was eventually won by Blanka Vlasic of Croatia and the sensational 19.19 that Usain Bolt ran to break the 200m world record.
Stacey Smith said: “I cant believe we saw a world record, I was so excited! It is amazing to come here and be in this atmosphere, it’s so loud tonight because Bolt was running and the German high jumper was competing and the whole place is packed. It is such a great experience we are being given.”
Ricky Stevenson added: “The atmosphere in the stadium was totally electric, the German high jumper who won bronze, silenced 70,000 people by just putting her finger to her lips, it was so still you could hear a pin drop, and then as she cleared the bar, the 70,000 people that were holding their breath all went mental and the noise was deafening! Amazing!”
On 21 August after morning training sessions, the OCWK party headed into Berlin for a spot of sightseeing. They learnt a little more about the historic side of the city and the old East/West Germany divide, before walking down to the Brandenburg Gate where the 50km walk was being completed. Former international race walker Martin Rush spent time talking to the athletes about the art of race walking.
Simon Horsfield said: “I loved hearing about the race walking from Martin, it was pretty fascinating to think that the athletes are walking at such a speed for over three and a half hours. It requires a lot of endurance and I don’t think race walkers get enough credit. It was cool to see an event in the centre of the city that I wouldn’t usually take an interest in.”
After lunch the athletes headed back to the stadium for the final time and enjoyed the evening’s action, including watching Lisa Dobriskey qualify for the women’s 1500m final.
Charlotte Best said: “Watching Lisa was very inspirational. I train with her so I know how hard she has worked, it’s cool to see someone so close to you making it on the international stage, it makes me want to strive harder so I can soon join her in the team.”
The trip was designed to show the OCWK athletes what a global championships is all about, from the electric atmosphere in the stadium, to the journey from the call room to the track. Every athlete was buzzing about their “amazing” four days in Berlin.
Tara Bird said: “This trip has been like a dress rehearsal for all the things we will face in the future. It has helped to show us what you don’t see on television and opened our eyes to what it is like at a global championship. Of course nothing will ever feel like the real thing, but hopefully experiencing all the behind the scenes bits will help to limit the chances of something going wrong in the future. We will certainly be better prepared than other major championship debutants and that is all thanks to ‘On Camp with Kelly’ and Aviva for providing us with such an opportunity. I have really had the best time ever! It’s just been amazing! I have loved every single second!”
Laura Finucane added: “I can’t put into words how amazing this trip has been, I have been part of ‘On Camp with Kelly’ since its birth in 2004 and this trip has been so much fun, but I have learnt a lot too. Berlin has been unbelievable, a truly invaluable experience.”
Emma Pallant said: “This has been the best trip ever! Amazing! Great people, great weather, great room mate, great times! It has given me added incentive to relentlessly pursue my dreams of competing on a stage like this.”
Report by Tara Bird
