Pickings may be Rich

Jun 21 2007 By Bill Mcguirk, The Evening Chronicle

With the England Athletics Championships this weekend and the English Schools' Championships to follow early next month, Richard Kilty's preparations are plainly on the right track.

Last weekend, competing in the under-20s at the Northern Championships in Liverpool, the 17-year-old Gateshead Harrier stormed to a double sprint victory in new personal best times.

In doing so, he ran quicker than the winner of the senior events at the same venue!

It was just the boost the talented teenager needed before a hectic programme over the next few weeks which could see him break into the UK team for the European Junior Championships in Hengelo, Holland, at the end of July.

Still undecided whether the 100m or 200m is his best event, Kilty - who is in his first year and at the bottom of the age scale in under-20 competitions - ran 10.66sec and 21.47sec respectively in Liverpool.

It is with times like those that the Jared Deacon-coached athlete - now ranked fourth in the country over the short sprint and 10th in the 200m - is hoping to make the squad for the trip to the Netherlands.

"It would be nice to be selected for either of the sprints as an individual, but a place in the relay squad is probably more realistic," said Teesside-based Kilty.

"While I certainly hope to make the team, I won't be too disappointed if I don't because I've always got next year."

The England Under-20 and Under-23 Championships are in Bedford on Saturday and Sunday, and they double up as the trials for the European Championships.

"I'm feeling pretty confident, especially after the way I ran in Liverpool," added Kilty (pictured top).

"I've only started speed work in the past couple of weeks so all of my previous races this season have been on the back of strength and conditioning.

"While I'm really pleased with the way I've been racing since the season started, I know my best times are still to come."

Since winning the English Schools' intermediate boys' 100m in 10.91sec at Gateshead last July, Kilty has brought his time down to 10.66sec, which he believes is due mainly to the input of former Commonwealth and European relay gold medallist Deacon (pictured above).

"While my dad keeps me motivated and helps me in a big way with nutrition and diet, Jared has brought my training up to a new level," he explained.

"I train at Gateshead two or three times a week under Jared's watchful eye and the endurance side of things has certainly been an eye-opener. That's why I'm running so well over 200m. I feel much stronger.

"And I think it's the strength side of things that will see me through the big races in the next few weeks."

Kilty, a student at Stockton Riverside College, could be on the verge of making history after competing this weekend.

He will have a couple of weeks break before heading for Birmingham and the English Schools' Championships where he will line-up in the senior boys' 100m for the first time.

To win it back-to-back after last year's victory would be some achievement.

However, if he is successful, he still has another year to go so he has the chance of making it three track gold medals in a row, something that has never been done.

"I've got lots of support from everyone around me so if I can keep chipping away at my times with their help then who knows how far I can really go!" said Kilty.