In search of a leading man
Williamson is Britain's main hope for sprinting gold in London
Also In The News
|
By inthenews. |  |
Tuesday, 28, Jul 2009 09:12
The Olympics, they say, is the greatest show on earth. However in the script being written for London 2012, the most explosive scene is lacking a main character for the host nation to cheer.
Last autumn the curtain came down on a brilliant Beijing Games and Britain, rightly so it must be said, basked in the glory of its most successful medal haul in exactly a century. However, of the 47 podium finishes just four came from within the confines of the Bird's Nest Stadium. Four. And the fact most overlooked? For the second successive games Britain was without a representative in the men's 100 metre final.
As was the case in China, the hopes of ending that particular rot in London rest largely on the shoulders of Highgate Harrier Simeon Williamson. The Londoner was hampered by injury in the build up to Beijing and departed with his tail between his legs at the quarter-final stage. At 23, though, age is on his side.
Williamson has the raw speed to at least pose a threat to the Jamaican storm that blew the Beijing field away. But his development plan over the next three years has to be followed to the letter.
His decision to train in Jamaica with former world record holder Asafa Powell in the build up to the World Championship trials earlier this year was lauded in most quarters of British athletics. Yet Powell sensationally revealed last week that he had seen a trait in Williamson almost as damaging as a muscle strain - laziness.
Williamson responded to the comments by beating Powell to a fourth-placed finish at the recent Aviva London Grand Prix. However his time of 10.19 seconds would have done little to inspire those who watched the event at Crystal Palace, including former Olympian John Regis who spoke exclusively to inthenews.co.uk before the event.
"Simeon has great potential and I think he will make the final at the Worlds [in Berlin next month] if he has worked, trained and mentally put himself in that position," said Regis. "He has shown flashes of brilliance but has been unable to maintain that.
"Recently his performance is much more consistent - he is running 10.0 frequently. At the moment unfortunately that isn't enough to properly test the likes of Tyson Gay, Powell and Usain Bolt, but he is improving."
Williamson needs to improve a lot more. The world record, set by Bolt in Beijing stands at 9.69 seconds. Williamson is yet to clock a time below 10. In his defence, membership to that club is hardly oversubscribed - only Linford Christie (9.87sec), Dwain Chambers (9.97) and Jason Gardener (9.98) fly the flag for Britain in that respect. Williamson's membership card is at the printing press just waiting for someone to hit the button.
There are others, though, who have aspirations of stealing Williamson's limelight. Twenty-year-old Harry Aikines-Aryeetey has a personal best of 10.10 and boasts world junior and youth titles. Also James Dasaolu, who clocked 10.09 in Geneva last month, will be 24 come the games in London. Both, though, will need to up their game considerably if they are to seriously challenge for honours. Tyron Edgar, who at 27 is yet to run 100 metres in less than 10.05 is largely expected to be past his best by 2012.
The Chambers debacle of the last few years has certainly had an affect on the nation's budding athletes. But that ghost could finally be laid to rest if Williamson follows up his impressive UK Trials performance with a similar triumph over Chambers in Berlin. Then it is hoped he can carry the tag of Britain's fastest man with pride. Regis believes the nation have their own part to play too.
"It is great to have 2012 as an aim," continued Regis. "All our athletes will have what they call in football the 12th man. With Simeon, the crowd will be chanting his name more so than Bolt, more than Powell and more than all the other guys. He is young enough to be at his best by 2012. For him it is a progression to 2012 - this year making the final would be great, top 5 is attainable if he gets right, and every year he has to keep improving.
"If you can do this, run sub-10 then get used to running those times, then he has the right to say 'I'm vying for major medals in major championships'."
'Legacy' is the buzz word for 2012 at the moment but a positive legacy can only come about from a successful games. And success means medals, or at the very least a damn good go at getting them. Should Williamson tick either of those boxes he could well be the headline act to what promises to be one hell of a show in three years time.
Matt Fortune