EUGENE Ayanful admits he is sick and tired of being the bridesmaid – insisting 2011 will be the year he gets well acquainted with the taste of victory.
Despite having European Youth Olympic silver and European Junior bronze to his name the 20-year-old former Havering Sixth Form College pupil has seen the podium top step consistently elude him in his fledgling career.
Domestically too he has been a regular fixture among the medals but has still yet to top the England Championships podium, winning Under-20 100m silver in 2008 and 2009.
Breaking that duck at Bedford in June will spectacularly secure his berth at the European Under-23 Championships in Czech Republic in July.
And after an encouraging indoor season Ayanful – who kicks off his outdoor season in Loughborough next weekend – believes domestic, and international, gold medals are within his reach.
“I have won silver medals at the AAAs (England Championships) before but I have never won the gold and so that is what I am concentrating on this year,” said Ayanful – who runs for Woodford Green Essex Ladies.
“Quite a few guys have run the qualifying time for the European Under-23s already so it’s going to be difficult to get there. But the best way to qualify is having won the England Championships so that is what I am looking to do this year.
“I am training to hopefully become a champion and that is the goal. It would be a nice situation to qualify for the European U23s having won the trials.
“The injuries I had last year are all gone now and I am just looking forward to getting my outdoor season started now.”
Former Abbs Cross School pupil Ayanful had an impressive start to his 2011 campaign indoors, racking up a new personal best over his less-favoured distance of 200m, clocking 21.48 seconds.
That performance, at the Birmingham Games in February, has raised the possibility of Ayanful launching a two-pronged medal hunt at this summer’s European Under-23 showdown.
And while admitting he’d be only too happy be a busy boy in the Czech Republic, Ayanful insists the 100m must top his list of priorities.
“It’d be great to go to Ostrava in the 200m as well but I will have to wait and see about that,” said Ayanful.
“The time I ran indoors was good but there are a lot of other boys who have gone sub 21 seconds and so it is going to be difficult to get there in the 200 as well.”
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