So far my indoor season seems to be going well and fingers crossed it will continue. These improvements further prove that all my hard work during the winter is paying off and consequently my coach and I are looking forward to the season ahead. My next and final indoor competition will be the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) at the end of the month in Sheffield. At this meet I will be competing in my first triple jump competition so this will be very exciting and I can’t wait. This will be my last BUCS indoor competition competing for Brunel University, so hopefully it will be a good one. In May I will be competing in the outdoor BUCS where I will be amongst the first group of athletes to compete at the newly built Olympic Stadium and I am very excited about this!

Shakira

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After the necessary rehab, I am now back into the full swing of winter training. Wow, it was tough getting started, but the first few weeks always are and now I am feeling much fitter. Winter training is vital to any athlete as it is a time where we focus on building our strength and power which will be put to the test in the outdoor season.

As much as I dread track sessions, the feeling of completing one is great and a real accomplishment.  Already the improvement is noticeable as each run is usually quicker. However, with the weather finally realising that we are in November and getting colder, the outdoor sessions have seen me in gloves and long sleeve tops, but this means I work quicker to get the session over.

I have been doing sled runs, which is when a sled with weights is tied to you and you run a certain distance. It’s tough, but helps with the explosive power needed when I’m on the run up. I have also been upping my game in weights sessions where the weights are gradually getting heavier, it’s tough but this means I am getting stronger, woo hoo! I’m really enjoying training sessions right now because I know that all this hard work will be worth it when summer comes.

Having successfully graduated in July with a BSc Sports Science degree, I have returned to Brunel University to start my PGCE to become a primary school teacher. Once again Brunel has honoured me with a Scholarship which is a tremendous help to a busy athlete as myself.  Look out for me on the Brunel University website doing a spot of training with the fastest man on the planet…. Usain Bolt! What an inspirational athlete!

Being a one-year course only, it is hard work with lectures from 8.30am on some days and finishing at 6pm on others and then off to the track for training, but it’s definitely good fun and interesting. For one of my current projects I have to create a cross-curricular lesson plan across different subjects, and with the London 2012 Olympics on its’ way, as an athlete I have been able to incorporate it into my lessons!  It’s really good fun and I hope to be able to engage children in athletics and get them as excited as me ready for the upcoming Games.

Over the next few months I will continue with my winter training.  My coach and I have decided that I will concentrate on doing competitions towards the end of the indoor season ready for the outdoor summer season. This is to ensure that I am fully fit and ready and not rushing to get back on track too early.  2012 is going to be a good year

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Another major achievement for me this year is I have now graduated with a Sports Science Degree from Brunel University! I had my graduation ceremony at the end of July and it was a lovely and exciting day. Having this degree provides me with the opportunity of starting my Primary Teaching PGCE in September which I am looking forward to.

Last week I had the absolute pleasure of meeting and interviewing double World Record holder and fastest man in the world…Usain Bolt! As a Sports Scholar at Brunel University I was invited down to film a short video promoting the excellent sporting facilities available at the uni. I had to say a short piece on my experiences at Brunel and do some filming of me triple jumping. It was great fun and I look forward to the finished product which I will upload onto this blog.

My season has now come to an end and my coach has given me some time off training to relax and mentally prepare myself for the winter training ahead. It will be tough but with the 2012 Olympics in sight, I am more motivated than ever to push myself further.  This year, CQC’s assistance has most beneficial as without them I wouldn’t have been able to afford the best physiotherapy and help to aid my recovery, I really appreciate their support THANK YOU!

Watch this space…

Shakira

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A few weeks ago I was invited to do some filming for the Olympic Broadcasting Services at Shepperton Studios to provide some action shots which they could use for the opening and closing title sequences of the London 2012 Olympics. This footage can also be used by international Olympic broadcasters. It was an exciting opportunity and the first time I had done filming of this kind.

We are well into the outdoor season now and my coach and I have discussed a competition schedule which is suitable for me, it is definitely jam packed and I will be competing almost every weekend over the next two months.

 My ankle injury is healing well and I have competed in two competitions so far.  I won the Berkshire County competition, retaining my title from 2010 as Berkshire’s no. 1 Women’s Triple Jumper which is a great achievement, having just returned from injury. I need to remain injury-free if I’m to return to major competitions.  So far I have been fortunate to not feel any serious pains during training and competitions.

In the forthcoming weeks I will compete at the U23 National Championships in Bedford, the South of England Championships in Ashford and the England Senior Championships in Bedford, all of which should be exciting. I am definitely looking forward to the season ahead!

Shakira

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I’m starting to feel confident in my training and this is giving me the belief that I can do well not only this year but also in years to come. Whilst my overall goal this season is to qualify and compete for the U23 European Championships, I still have a long way to go and have to take gradual steps in getting to this stage. To give me an encouraging boost and put me in a stronger position of being selected, one of my aims is to be within the top 3 at the England U23 Championships, where I have medalled bronze before. Also, I would like to end the 2011 athletics season ranked within the top 10 in the country for women’s triple jump, this has happened in the past but it would be a great achievement to do it again. It will be a challenge but I am remaining positive.

I am now 4 months into my 3^rd and final year at Brunel University and wow, it has been hectic! Over Christmas, whilst enjoying the celebrations I was also knuckling down to coursework and my final dissertation project. My coach understands the importance of my university schedule so we manage to structure and plan training sessions around my academics.

As you all know my aspiration is to be part of Team GB and with the London 2012 Olympic Games rapidly approaching I refuse to be watching the competition from my television set!

Shakira

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If all my basic strengthening rehab continues to go to plan, I should be back in the sandpit by the beginning of January, which will be good preparation for the season ahead. My goal for the 2011 athletic season is to qualify and compete for Great Britain in the Under 23 European Championships in Czechoslovakia but that is not until July. This would be a great opportunity for me to compete on the international stage and to gain experience in preparation for future international competitions.

More immediately, I need to get fit and strong, to further my distances for more imminent competitions within the next few months.

I was extremely fortunate to be invited by CQC to the Institute of Directors Winter Sporting Lunch earlier this week where guest speakers Daley Thompson, Alec Stewart, Stuart Pearce and Howard Webb talked of their sorting experiences. The experience was very entertaining and the talks extremely motivational to an athlete such as me, especially from double Olympic gold medal medallist Daley Thompson. All four guest speakers gave the audience an insight into the highlights of their careers and I learnt that confidence and belief in yourself is vital if you want to succeed. I was even asked to sign an autograph for a director which made me feel great! I would like to thank CQC for this opportunity as it inspired me further to pursue my athletic career to the best of my ability.

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Whilst going through these appointments and assessments, my coach Keith Fleming has designed an intense (but not strenuous) rehab programme for me.  This involves no contacts unless they are on my new best friend…my trampet, and also a big focus on my speed and strength. Of course, this alternative programme means no competitions and I am totally gutted about this as it means I have had to put aside my main aim this year; to qualify and compete in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in October. I’m finding it difficult to stay away from competitions though because I love the atmosphere, so I have still been attending the competitions as a spectator and to support my fellow team athletes.

When I started my rehab training I found it difficult to get used to as my sessions were different to the rest of the group and whilst they were jumping into the pit, I was busy doing a hard core workout.  (A tiny part of me even misses the sand in my socks!). But as the weeks have progressed I am beginning to get used to the regularity of the sessions and just need to remain strong minded and keep myself motivated.

My family, coach, teammates and friends have all been supportive in recovering from my injury and I am very grateful, as I am to CQC whose constant assistance have meant that assessments and appointments have been speeded up so that surgery can be done as soon as possible.

I am well into the outdoor season now and have a number of competitions lined up in the coming months; I rarely have a weekend without a competition! I have just finished my second year at Brunel University so for the rest of summer I can focus my attention on my athletics and fit in some casual work where possible.

The 2010 indoor season was successful and I finished ranked 8^th in the country for triple jump. I have competed in two competitions since the start of the Outdoor season and came a respectable 3^rd in the British Universities and Colleges Sport Competition (BUCS).  However, a few months earlier, I won the gold at the Indoor BUCS 2010.   More recently I won the gold at the Berkshire County Championships, retaining my triple jump title.

Unfortunately my recent performances have been a little restricted due to a re-occurring ankle injury and I recently underwent a scan to investigate the problem. Fingers crossed it will be dealt with as soon as possible, allowing me to improve on my performances during the 2010 Outdoor season.

My upcoming competitions include: the South of England Championships at Crystal Palace, the U23 National Championships in June at Bedford, the UK European Trials in Birmingham and the England National Championships in Gateshead.  These are the main national competitions, however, there are other League Meets, i.e. UK Women’s League, etc, where I compete for my club, Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow and these can take me from Eton to Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester, etc.

I also hope the weather holds out to make them even more enjoyable. My aim for this season remains breaking that 13m barrier and qualifying for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi later this year.

Last weekend, 13^th and 14^th March, I spent the weeken d in Sheffield with hundreds of other athletes competing in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), where I represented Brunel University in the triple jump. It was a tense competition and I knew that if I performed well, I could win the gold.  I was in 2^nd place up until the final round when I pulled out a jump of 12.31 equalling my season’s best jump and took the gold medal. I was thrilled to win the title of BUCS indoor triple jump champion as last year I came away with the bronze.  

After these continuous weekends of competing, Coach allowed me 1 day off from training (generous!) this was very much needed.  I am near the end of my second year in Uni and coursework deadlines must be met. It is hard work juggling my degree work and my athletics, however, recent results look very promising on both sides. 

Indoor season now over, I am a couple of weeks into the intense training for the outdoor season, and wow it is tough! But I have come to learn that if you really want something, you have got to work that little bit harder to get it. I will keep you updated on my progress so watch this space!

Shakira

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(A picture of me competing in the Aviva World Indoor Athletics Trials & UK Championships in Sheffield)

The reason I will be returning to Sheffield on 13 and 14 February is to compete in the prestigious Aviva World Indoor Athletics Trials & UK Championships where I will be amongst the top athletes in the country.  With tickets sold out many weeks ago, this promises to be an exciting event and highlights are expected to be televised, so be sure to look out for me!  

As usual, training is ongoing and preparation for these events is essential.  I have to keep myself in top shape by having regular physio and massage appointments to keep any niggling injuries at bay.  As in every competition my aim is for gold and a constant improvement for a personal best performance.

Will let you know how I get on.

Shakira

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