Ben: Ten or under my target in Wales
Sep 18 2010 by James Beckett, The Journal
TRIATHLETE Ben Newman will race in the GE Parc Bryn Bach Triathlon tomorrow in preparation for the biggest race of his career next month.
On 17 October Newman, from North Shields, travels to Barcelona to compete against some of the best triathletes from across Europe.
But first he is setting his target on a top-ten finish at the Wales event, amongst another strong field including the Brownlee brothers, Alistair and Jonathan. Both recently had success at the World Triathlon Championship winning the senior and Under-23 titles respectively
He said: “It’s my first time racing at Parc Bryn Bach and I’m feeling pretty good. My training has been going well and I’ve certainly been getting stronger as the season has progressed.
“Obviously the standard of the field is very high so I’m just looking to have a hard swim, push the bike and see where that leaves me for the run.
“In a strange way it takes a little of the pressure off that the field is so strong. But I still have my targets and really want a top-ten finish.
“It’s a shorter race than usual which makes for a challenge in it’s self, most of the race will see us sprinting. But I need to make sure the field doesn’t overawe me and concentrate on my own race.
“The worst thing I could do is go out and try and be a hero, because it would only cause me problems as the race developed.”
But Newman, who will be racing for the blackhawkbikes.com team in Wales, admits that it will be the race in Barcelona that will be his acid test.
“This year has been really tough and I have learnt an awful lot. But I’ll find out how far I’ve come in Barcelona,” he added.
“I feel like I’ve come on a lot but that race will show me how far because the field will be so strong.
“A good performance in that race can only bode well for the future. Next year I want to be racing in more continental races.
“It’s unbelievable really because I only took up the sport last year. My progress has been very good. Another winter’s training and I’ll be well placed for another strong season next year.”
l FORMER world junior 100m hurdles bronze medallist Tiffany Adaeze Ofili, who has dual citizenship for the UK and the United States, has been cleared to compete for Britain by the IAAF.
UK passport holder Ofili, born in Michigan to a British mother, is now eligible to represent Britain because more than three years have elapsed since she competed for the United States at the 2006 World Junior Championships.
Ofili, 22, trains at the University of Michigan but plans to base herself in the UK for the summer months.
She said: “I am ecstatic to represent Great Britain in athletics henceforth.”
