Story By Neva Jansen
On the weekend of the 10th of February, Thomas headed to Sheffield Arena to compete at Indoor Nationals 2024. Having dedicated the last five months to training for Indoor Nationals and a goal to make the U15 800m final, Thomas was ready to make this dream a reality. Two weeks before this event, Thomas competed at Lee Valley for his first 800m of the year, achieving a new PB of 2:05.36, a 4-second PB. Following this competition, he felt he was on track for a great result in Sheffield.
The weekend started with Thomas qualifying for the final, winning his heat in 2:06.17. He headed into the final the next day with a medal in sight. Entering this competition as one of the favourites, Thomas felt the pressure in the week leading up to this event. Still, nevertheless, he channelled that pressure and came away with a new PB of 2:03.31 and a Sliver Indoor National medal. Thomas ran a fantastic race where he led and set the pace for most of it. Thomas should feel immensely proud of his achievements in the competition, with more success to come.
In the words of former world champion and former marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe, “For an athlete, the biggest pressure comes from within. You know what you want to do and what you’re capable of.” Thomas strove to do what he was capable of and came away with a 6-second PB from when he started his 5-month training block and a Sliver Indoor National medal. Thomas looks forward to the many competitions, and I’m sure he will receive great success and achievements this outdoor season.
