ABIGAIL HAYWOOD is the first to admit she’s had a sticky start to 2011 but the Huddersfield pole vaulter insists she will bounce back with a bang.
The former Greenhead College student did win the Indoor Northern Athletics Championships in Sheffield but was far from happy with her winning jump of 3.40m.
A change to her coaching regime and an Achilles tendon problem have hampered her progress, but with the European Under-23 Championships in Ostrava in July on her agenda, Haywood believes plenty of lessons have already been learned.
“The indoor season hasn’t been great if I’m honest. I switched coaches this year and I’ve also had an injury problem with my Achilles, so all in all it hasn’t gone that well,” said Haywood, a member of Sale Harriers.
“Finally all that seems to have been resolved and I’m looking forward to the outdoor season.
“It’s been extremely frustrating but now I’m just focused on getting fully fit and putting the winter behind me.
“I’ve just come back from a training camp in Portugal and I got some really good training done in the three weeks I was out there so I’m hoping for an improved outdoor season.
“Finally I can get back to the longer run ups and the bigger poles and hopefully be back to and beyond my previous best.
“I did win the Northern Athletics Championships in Sheffield and that was good but the heights weren’t great. I’ve got to start jumping much higher than I am at the moment for the European Under-23 but I’m confident I will be in good shape by then.”
Get closer to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games with Lloyds TSB. Find out what is happening in your community and sign up for exclusive updates and a chance to win London 2012 Games tickets at lloydstsb.com/trackside
