Sprinter Olivia Breen makes tough start at IPC Athletics World Championships
By Mark Ashenden
Last Updated: 27/10/15 11:55am
Olivia Breen has revealed the pain of missing out on a medal in the 100m final, with the IPC World Championships underway in Doha.
A 48-strong British team are in Qatar for for the 10-day competition at the Qatar Sports Club, pushing for qualification at next summer's Paralympics in Rio.
The 19-year-old Breen arrived in good shape and with high hopes of collecting some silverware with opportunities in her four events - 100m, long jump, 200m and relay.
The Sky Academy Sports Scholar from Wales kicked off her busy schedule on Thursday in the shorter sprint race. Here are her thoughts on her introduction to the heat of competition in Doha...
I ran my first event in the 100m final on Thursday night. I finished fourth. I'm disappointed but I have to stay positive because I ran well. I did everything I could.
I went into the race in the best shape and the best form I have ever been in. We arrived in Doha almost two weeks ago, so it has given us a chance to adapt to the intense heat and also most events are in the evening when it is a bit cooler.
Unfortunately last week, I was suffering with quite a bad cold so couldn't train properly. Fortunately by Sunday, I was feeling much better and that was the day my personal coach Jonas Dodoo arrived.
It was so great to have Jonas at The Aspire Zone (a sporting complex in Doha) with me. He made sure that I was really ready for the race both in body and mind and I was really up for it. My parents also arrived on Wednesday night and it was lovely to have their support also.
I was given a really great lane draw with Margarita Goncharova the Paralympic champion in the lane next to me.
We were kept a really long time at the starting blocks for some reason, which made me wobble because of my cerebral palsy.
The judges showed me a green card and I think a combination of this and then being kept in the blocks for a long time again for the second start resulted in me not starting particularly well, which is something I am normally quite good at.
I did fight my way back into the race and I was happy with the way I finished in fourth, just beating one of the Australian athletes whose PB is quite a bit faster than mine.
However, I did not make it onto the podium which I am so sad about.
Also there was an incredible world record set during the race of 12.60 seconds. I did not know that it was possible for a girl with cerebral palsy to run that fast!
To take 2/10ths of a second off your PB is remarkable. However to take 4/10ths of a second off is beyond remarkable. It left me completely speechless.
My parents have taken me for a spot of retail therapy in one of the amazing malls here in Doha to try to take my mind off things.
From Sunday, I will start getting ready for my next event - the long jump - which is on Tuesday evening. I am ranked seventh in the line-up and I'm really hoping I can pull something out of the bag and get a PB.
Olivia's schedule in Doha:
October 27 (4.55pm) - Long Jump final
October 29 (5.15pm) - 200m final
October 31 (2.26pm) - 4 x 100m final
WHAT'S COMING UP FOR OUR SCHOLARS
OCTOBER 21-31: Olivia Breen - IPC World Championships, Doha
NOVEMBER 2: Elise Christie, World Cup, Toronto
NOVEMBER 11-13: Siobhan-Marie O'Connor - BUCS Short Course, Sheffield