Jump to it - athletics arrives at last at the Olympic Stadium

 
Nike
Marie Winckler30 April 2012

The Olympic challenge - No 21 hurdles

For the first time, I walk to this Olympic challenge with confidence. "I can jump and I can definitely run — hurdles shouldn’t be too hard," I think, arriving at the Mile End Park Arena.

"Agility, flexibility, endurance and of course speed are the skills that a hurdler requires. It is an all-round sport," Perri Shakes-Drayton explains.

Shakes-Drayton this week will star in the Olympic Stadium test event that begins on Friday, having jumped her first hurdle at the age of 16. It’s a 400-metre stretch around the length of the inside lane of a standard stadium track. Runners have to stay in their lanes the entire way after starting out of the blocks and must clear 10 hurdles which are evenly spaced around the track.

"Hurdles are way funnier than just running," explains Shakes-Drayton. "You have to take each obstacle as it comes …" She positions herself on the starting line, staring at the hurdles. As she starts rushing towards the hurdles, I realise this sport isn’t just about jumping over them. "It’s all about trying to go through them!" she shouts at me.

It’s now my turn to try them out. I put myself in position and also begin staring at the hurdles. They suddenly look huge. I start my race quickly but then, too scared of touching the first hurdle and falling on my face, I slow down and jump over it in a kangaroo-like hop.

"That wasn’t very professional, but safety first, right?" I say to Shakes-Drayton, who is obviously not impressed.

She takes time to explain to me the exact movement of the hurdle jump. “You have to throw your lead leg (it can be either one of them) straight and bring back your other leg, which is bent to the side.”

That sounds easier than it actually is and it took me at least 10 tries to get the movement even vaguely right.

Shakes-Drayton has lived all her life in east London and feels very engaged in the upcoming Olympics. "Every athlete aspires to win an Olympic medal,” she explains. “I am especially excited because it’s happening on my doorstep. I’m an east Londoner and I’v e seen the neighbourhood change in recent years. Seriously, it looks better, and I hope all the new facilities will push children to participate."

After running and jumping over those hurdles for at least 45 minutes, I still make the same mistake. Fear slows me down before the hurdle and then I jump way too high above it. “In a competition it’s those milliseconds that make the difference,” Shakes-Drayton says.

  • Winner or loser? I manage not to trip over the hurdle but I’m still very far off the perfect jumping position.
  • Love or loathe it? Loved it. I do agree with Perri, hurdling is so much more exciting than just sprinting.
  • Olympic hopeful? “No,” she laughed. Well, at least that was honest.

Perri Shakes-Drayton

Age: 22.

Home town: Bow, east London.

Measuring up: 1m 72cm, 67kg.

Relationship status: Has a boyfriend.

Training hours: Every day, two hours a day.

Sporting bling: Bronze medal at the 400 metres and 4x400 metres relay at the European Championships in Barcelona in 2010.

Starting block: Started running when she was 11 years old and entered her first hurdle competition at 16.

Olympic dream: "Becoming an Olympic champion. It is going to be hard but I will do my best!"

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