News24 Nov 2012


Barcelona Press Points: Angelica Bengtsson, Adam Gemili, Ana Peleteiro and Anthonique Strachan

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Keshorn Walcott, Anthonique Strachan, Ana Peleteiro, Angelica Bengtsson and Adam Gemili in Barcelona (© Philippe Fitte)

24 November 2012 – Barcelona, Spain – Four winners from the 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships earlier this year, Angelica Bengtsson, Adam Gemili, Ana Peleteiro and Anthonique Strachan, returned to the city of their triumphs in Barcelona and appeared at the press point at the IAAF Centenary Gala on Saturday (24). These were some of the highlights.

Angelica Bengtsson (SWE)

What were your favourite moments from being in Barcelona earlier this year, apart from winning?

Just jumping high in the final. I’ve been to Barcelona before, so like the city.

What is your life like off the track?

I’m in my final year at high school but I’m living in France, in Clermont Ferrand, and finishing my courses at in Sweden at long distance. However, I’m almost training full time. I moved to Clermont Ferrand to train with Renaud Lavillenie’s former coach Damien Inocencio. He is going to coach me for the whole of the indoor season and after that, we will see.

What are your personal goals for the next 12 months?

My goal is the European Indoor Championships in Göteborg, because it’s in Sweden. I hope to do well there but I don’t know how high I can jump because of the change in my coach but I have high expectations.

Göteborg will be special, there will be extra motivation as the crowd knows me.  

Adam Gemili (GBR)

What were your favourite moments from being in Barcelona earlier this year, apart from winning?

I think my favourite moment was the day after the 100m when I got to meet a lot of people, including (former World record holder) Maurice Greene, which was a great honour. I got to meet a lot of great athletes and coaches, which was amazing.  Being here, and at the Welcome Dinner, I wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to introduce myself and get my photo taken with so many legends.

What is your life like off the track?

I’m training full-time but I’m also at university where I’m studying sports and exercise science and human biology, which is quite challenging; but I think it’s going to help me with my running as I’ll get to know my body.

What are your personal goals for the next 12 months?

I’m not 100 per cent about indoors, I’ve got to discuss that with my coach, but my aim is the European U23 Championships and I hope to make the team for the World Championships, and if I’m lucky enough to get on the team going to Moscow then I want to do well there.

I want to run quicker than I did this year. Everyone always talks about going sub-10, well that will happen when I understand my race a bit better and, next year, I hopefully should be in good shape to do it. But I’m not going to say definitely I will do it. Who knows what can happen?

Ana Peleteiro (ESP)

What were your favourite moments from being in Barcelona earlier this year, apart from winning?

It was part of the competition. When I saw that I’d jumped 14.17m, I just broke down in tears and started crying because it was so incredible.

What is your life like off the track?

I’m still only 16 so I’m still in high school but later I want to go into a special college and do a degree in sports.

What are your personal goals for the next 12 months?

For me, the main goal is the European Junior Championships but I’m also aiming for Carlota Castrejana’s Spanish national record of 14.64m. I’m too young to think about the World Junior Championships, I’ll think about those things step-by-step.

Anthonique Strachan (BAH)

What were your favourite moments from being in Barcelona earlier this year, apart from winning?

It was going on the bus tour of the city. I’d never been to Barcelona before, I was very hysterical. The buildings here are beautiful.

What is your life like off the track?

I recently signed with the shoe company PUMA and I start university in January but recently I’ve started training full-time.

What are your personal goals for the next 12 months?

Hopefully, this year I’ll be healthy because for the last two years I’ve had Achilles problems, so I just want this year to be injury-free. I just want to make it to the Worlds as I went to Daegu, and then I want to make it to the final as I made it to the semis there. My target that I go 22.2 (for the 200m).

Phil Minshull for the IAAF

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