Athletics: Don’t expect Olympic glory for Wales

Mar 2 2008 by Our Correspondent, Wales On Sunday

COLIN JACKSON has issued an eye-opening appraisal of Wales’ prospects for track glory at the Beijing Olympics.

But he has vowed that any lack of success will not be down to a lack of effort.

Jackson took silver in the 110m hurdles in Seoul 20 years ago, while Iwan Thomas and Jamie Baulch repeated the feat in the 4x400m relay in Atlanta in 1996.

But Jackson fears there is little prospect of adding to that tally this time round – even though he will be pushing Rhys Williams all the way.

“We’ve always been on the front line with Iwan, Jamie and Tim Benjamin but this may be a different year,” said double world champion Jackson, who only has Olympic gold missing in his list of major successes.

It is an honest appraisal from the 41-year-old, particularly considering he is coaching 2006 European Championship 400m hurdles bronze medallist Williams to the limit to complete his comeback from injury in time to board the plane for China.

“He’s sick all the time but that’s the way it has got to be,” said Jackson, who held the world record for 11 years.

“If he doesn’t want to do it and fancies doing something more gentle, he should go and take up darts!

“Rhys has worked extremely hard to get to this stage and I’m really pleased with his progress.

“He left for Australia yesterday to work with a friend of mine, Tudor Bidder, at the Institute of Sports in Canberra.

“I’ve been in contact with him via e-mail, so he’ll know all about Rhys before he arrives and have a good idea about exactly where he is.

“I have no worries about Rhys making the Olympic team but it will be difficult to assess his performance because of his injuries.”

Williams, crowned European Under-23 champion in 2005, rocked the British 400m hurdles scene with his Welsh record time of 49.09sec in his fourth-placed finish at the Commonwealth Games in 2006.

He backed that up with his bronze medal at the senior European Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Then Williams suffered three stress fractures of the foot last year and spent an amazing 46 weeks on the injury list.

Now the 400m hurdles star is pain-free and ready to run for Great Britain at September’s global games in the Far East. But, although Jackson reckons his star pupil has the ability, he believes it will take him time to get back on the podium.

“He lost a year due to injury and that’s been incredibly tough on him because the hurdles is a technical event,” admits Jackson.

“He’s got to get his technique and range right. It’s like learning a new event again. But he’s certainly got the talent to be the best in the UK again.

“And when you’ve already been a European medallist, you want to be in the final and get a medal.

“That may be a push this year because of the length of time he’s had out and he probably needs another winter behind him.

“But he should be in the world championship final next season.”

While Jackson reckons Williams will make the cut for China, he is unsure about another of Wales’ track hopes, sprinter Christian Malcolm.

“Christian may get in the relay squad, but whether he makes the team is difficult,” revealed Jackson.

“He’s been very unfortunate and riddled by injuries and he won’t get in this time on reputation alone, because his best 100m time is probably fifth or sixth in the UK.

“The federation are investing a lot more in youth and they are making the team as young as possible. That may make it more difficult for him.

“The youngsters are hungry because they have not been to an Olympic Games, so it will be difficult for him to walk into the team like he did last time.

“It will depend on which event Christian decides to focus on.”

Despite his forthright prediction, Jackson is delighted with the next generation emerging on the horizon in his home nation.

“Wales did well at the Commonwealth Games two years ago and we’re in the development stage,” said Jackson.

“We’ve had a wave of good athletes in the past and we’ve got a nice, youthful team developing. But they need to mature first.

“Once they do and find themselves on the circuit, they will get into the British team on a regular basis. And then we will see the magic really happen.”