Sharman asks for patience
Corby hurdler William Sharman has told an expectant British public to forget all about his 2009 performances as he looks to medal at next week's European Championships in Barcelona.
The 25-year-old produced a stunning performance in Berlin last year, finishing fourth in the 110m hurdles final at the World Championships and set a new personal best of 13.30 seconds in the process.
Sharman has experienced 'second-season' syndrome this summer, struggling with a hamstring injury and also having to have an operation on his wrist, which has disrupted his Barcelona preparations.
The hurdler, who competes for Belgrave, had been struggling to nip under 13.40 seconds this season until earlier this month when he produced a wind-assisted 12.9 showing in Madrid.
Sharman is no shrinking violet. But the British number one is uncertain what he's going to produce in Spain when it matters most.
"Last year was a good indicator of what I am capable of doing because for a young talent in the hurdles to come fourth at the World Championships exceeds expectations," said Sharman, who has been selected for the Aviva GB & NI Team and is at an Aviva funded pre-event preparation camp in Portugal.
"Last year was last year and this year is this year.
"It is two completely different championships and I'll need to improve again.
"I'm happy with the way I have prepared and the progression I have made so far has been good.
"Since last year I have had a few setbacks so it has not been a straight case of just turn up at the track and do the same thing again.
"I have had an operation since that period of time and it doesn't matter where the operation is, any kind of hospitalisation means that you are going to be out of your daily routine for a substantial period of time.
"I feel much better now, though, than I was a week out from the World Championships. I have progressed and I know sometime, I don't know when, that a much better performance will come out sooner than I did in Berlin."
While all the talk may be about Sharman medalling in Barcelona – the self-assured hurdler is simply targeting a new personal best.
The Belgrave athlete, who pipped Andy Turner to the British title in Birmingham last month, insists his Barcelona performance is all about bettering himself and medals will take care of themselves as a result.
"A personal best would be a success for me at the Europeans, you can't ask for more than taking your body to new realms, to places it has never been before and to do that at a championship you can't ask for more," added Sharman.
"Whether it is good enough to win, well, you don't know how anyone else will do so you have no control over that.
"You can try to psyche each other out before a race if you want but I don't really care, there is nothing they can really do, unless I am a weak individual, to really affect me.
"I already did a personal best in Madrid but it was a shame that it wasn't ratified, I won a 12.9 race and my PB is 13.3 so, you know, that is huge.
"The old world record was 12.7, maybe 12.8 so that is ahead of many, many people – we will see what happens in Barcelona."
Aviva's support, both at home and abroad, is helping the team prepare to compete at their best. Watch the Aviva GB & NI live in action at the Aviva London Grand Prix. For more details visit aviva.co.uk/athletics.
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Weather for Kettering
Monday 13 February 2012
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