IN athletics, adversity is often the mother of elation.
Recent history is littered with despair-fuelled success stories. Helen Clitheroe was spurred on by losing Lottery funding, Kelly Holmes by injury setbacks. Bureaucratic incompetence inspired Stacey Smith’s breakthrough.
Three weeks ago the 21-year-old Gateshead Harrier made her senior international debut at the European Indoor Championships, five months late.
“I was meant to go to the Commonwealths, I was first reserve and when Lisa Dobriskey dropped out I was told I was in,” she explained. “Because of various reasons within the structure I wasn’t taken.
“I kind of got really peed off and there were complaints.
“Some employees didn’t do their jobs properly, my visa wasn’t sorted out, the paperwork hadn’t been filled out. If it had, I would have been on the plane.
“I just cracked on with my winter work and went into it like a bat out of hell. I was just really annoyed and thought, ‘I’ll show them!’ so I just really stuck in and was really, really focused, the most I’ve ever been. I’m at university but the social side, I’ve stopped all that, it’s just been about running.”
At February’s Birmingham Grand Prix, Teesside University sports therapy student Smith made an impeccably-timed arrival. Days before the Olympic Clock started (then restarted), the Under-23 international knocked 15 seconds off her indoor personal best, the sixth-fastest British woman over 1,500m.
An international debut was her reward, narrowly failing to progress from her Paris heat.
“I was very surprised at the Birmingham Grand Prix, I didn’t think I was in 4.07 shape whatsoever,” Smith admits. “Over the last couple of years I’ve done so much more endurance work and it’s obviously had a really big impact. I haven’t been specifically training for the 1,500m, yet I’ve been able to come out with a 4.07.
“Going to Paris and looking around all the people you normally see on telly and personally getting to know them – they’re lovely! – I didn’t feel overwhelmed, I felt like I fitted in.
“I’ll be 22 at the Olympics and I always thought I might just get there, but I would peak better for Rio de Janeiro (in 2016). It’s very exciting knowing I’m nearly there but the selectors can be very picky.”
Holmes is more than an inspiration for someone who wants to double up with the 800m. Smith joined On Camp With Kelly in 2007, where she met Mick Woods, who coaches her from London while she trains alone in the North East.
“Mick’s background has always been more endurance-based,” Smith explained. “I’ve always been an athlete who didn’t want to do endurance. It’s weird, running slower has made me run quicker!
“Kelly’s got a big 4x4 thing with tellys in the back. This summer she was out with some friends and pulled over and made them climb into the back to watch me. She was screaming at the telly!
“She’s really passionate about her athletes, she sees them as like her children. Any problems we talk about.”
Now Smith is the role model, yesterday promoting July 17’s BUPA Great North 10k, which will start and finish at Gateshead Stadium and pass under the route of the Great North Run.
“It’s a great thing to promote athletics,” said Smith. “It’s going inspire people to start, seeing local runners as well.”
