Here are the Olympic Fast-Track athletes – each aiming to move as fast as a salmon during London 2012. Guess who is the least athletic. Yes – third to the right.
In order, left to right:
Lawrence Okoye
Discus: PB 67.63
Lawrence Okoye is set to be a star of British athletics for many years to come. The 19 year-old Londoner holds the British discus record at 67.63 metres, the fourth furthest in the world this year and the longest by any teenager in history. At school, Okoye was nicknamed Jonah Lomu and at the late age of eighteen joined the London Irish rugby academy before switching to athletics. In an decision to explore his throwing talent, the Croydon talent postponed an offer to study law at Oxford University and took. With his full attention now firmly fixed on athletics, he won his first international title at the European Under-23 Championships in Ostrava in July 2011. Okoye, who stands at a formidable 6ft 6in tall, has emerged as a star and one to watch at the London Olympics in 2012.
Perri Shakes-Drayton
400m hurdles
PB: 54.18secs
Perri Shakes-Drayton narrowly missed out on a place in 2008 Beijing Olympic team after beating Tasha Danvers, the British number one at the Aviva National Championships and Olympic trials in Birmingham who went on to claim the bronze medal in China. In 2009 her talent continued to blossom and with victories at the England U23 Championships and the European U23 Championships in Kaunas, Lithuania. 2010 saw her move up a gear when in Barcelona at the European Championships, she claimed the bronze medal over the one lap hurdles with a life-time best of 54.18 and anchored the relay squad to a creditable bronze medal with a superb 49.60 clocking. A native of East London, Shakes-Drayton is recently completed a degree in Sports Science at Brunel University, and is looking forward to representing her country in her own back yard in 2012.
Tiffany Ofili-Porter
100m hurdles
PB: 12.60secs
Tiffany Ofili-Porter is Britain’s leading 100m hurdler and set a new British record at the Samsung Diamond League meeting in Monaco in 2011 with a time of 12.60secs. It was the second time she has broken the British record. Before turning pro, the 23 year-old former pharmacy student at the University of Michigan enjoyed a successful college career in the US, three times winning the NCAA 100m hurdles twice the NCAA indoor 60m. Despite being born in Michigan, USA, Ofili-Porter qualifies to represent Great Britain through her British mother and she capped her debut in an Aviva GB&NI team vest by winning a silver medal in the 60m hurdles at the European Indoor Championships in Paris earlier this year.
Dan Greaves
Discus Throw
PB: 58.98m
Dan won Gold in Athens Paralympics in 2004, throwing a world record 55.12m in the F44/46 category discus throw. He had previously won silver at the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney. Despite being born with a deformity of the feet, he was selected to join the British able-bodied team in a competition against the US in 2001.He returned to the Paralympics in Beijing in 2008, winning a bronze medal. He most recently took Gold in the World Championships in New Zealand breaking his previous world record by 3.45m in his final major tournament before London 2012, with this victory under his belt he is a very promising podium hopeful with the ability to set a new world record and be the first Paralympian to throw over 60m.
Andy Turner
110m hurdles
PB: 13.22secs
Before switching to athletics, Turner was a promising footballer, playing for Notts County as a youngster, and was offered a trial with England as a rugby player. On the track, Turner’s breakthrough came in 2006, winning bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and European Championships in Gothenburg. The following season, the Brit was fourth at the European Indoor Championships. Turner’s 2008 campaign was marred by injuries. In 2009 he him finish in fourth place at the European Indoor Championships and second at the European Team Championships. 2010 turned out to be Turner’s best ever and after early season victories at the Great Manchester Run he went on to score victories and gold medals at the European Championships and Commonwealth Games as well as taking first place at the European Team Championships.
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