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Saturday 15 January saw 16 Mendip AC athletes, their parents & 2 coaches meet at the indoor sprints track at Bath University for an afternoon with Honorary Club President and Olympic Gold Medalist Jason Gardener. All were treated to a tour of the University's world class sporting facilities and a behind the scenes look at the hydro therapy centre where Jason spent minutes at a time submerged above his waist in an ice cold pool to aid recovery from injury and surgical operations! This was followed by an hour and a half on the indoor sprints track where Jason put the athletes through their paces and gave them expert feedback on their running style. All the athletes were able to use the timing gates for 3 flying 30m runs, with Jamie Emery clocking the best time in a very nippy 3.32s against Jason's best time ever of 2.73s!
The afternoon finished with an opportunity for the athletes to look at and hold Jason's Olympic Gold Medal, and a vivid description from Jason of his journey from school athlete to winning a bronze medal at English Schools, to getting his 1st GB vest, to becoming World Indoor Champion over 60m and winning his Olympic Gold Medal in the 4 x 100m relay in Athens! This was followed by a question and answer session with Jason during which he reflected on subjects ranging from what it feel like on the start line at Athens to the strict diet he followed whilst he was a world class athlete.
This was a day to remember and doubtless many of us will reflect on this for a long time as fantastic and rare opportunity to spend time with one of the world's best athletes of all time!
Peter Grosjean.
(See photos page)
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