by Larry EderThis is the second day of the Nike Talks World Indoors Series. Thanks to Nike Sports Marketing, @runblogrun will provide a Monday-Friday story on a key athlete from US, Great Britain, Europe, Africa and Asia. On the weekends, we will go back in World Indoor history and provide a favorite moment. This sponsorship goes from January1-March 5. We hope you enjoy. And please check out www.nikerunning.com.
Today, we are writing about Adam Gemili!
And always remember to check out www.wicbirmingham2018.com
The first time that I met Adam Gemili was at the Commonwealth Games. He had taken second in the 100 meters, and then, was on the relay team that took second in the 4×100 meters. I recall that the interview was light, but Adam took on questions from the media well, and did his best to answer them.
Adam Gemili, European Champs 2014, photo by PhotoRun.net
In 2015, I watch Adam Gemili become the 100th man to break 10 seconds for the 100 meters, running 9.97 on July 7, 2015. For Adam Gemili, that exciting breathrough also gave him a hamstring injury that kept him out of Beijing 2015 World Championships.
Adam Gemili, 2015 Birmingham DL, photo by PhotoRun.net
Adam Gemili was fourth in the 200 meters in the Rio 2016 Olympics. He was in a photo finish with Christophe Lemaitre and Churandy Martina. The 200 meter final was oh so close, and Gemili finished fourth, just six hundredths of a second between third and fourth. The men’s 200 meters was one of the key examples of how competitive our sport is, and how little separates the medalists from the non-medalists.
Adam Gemili, Rio 2016, photo by PhotoRun.net
In 2017, Adam Gemili had a year of huge emotional swings. At the British Trials, Adam Gemili sustained an injury, which meant that he would not run an individual event, but would run the 4×100 meter relay.
Watching Adam Gemili run, one thinks that, while the 100 meters is a good event for him, the 200 meters is probably his best event. The former rugby player, Adam gave up that other sport in 2012 to focus on track & field. His fans believe that he made a great decision.
Perhaps the biggest surprise in London, and the most exciting, was the British men’s teams victory in the 4×100 meters. The truth be told, the combination of a team of guys who had worked together for several years, and the amazing relay that the British team ran in London, made it a near perfect night! The 37.47 held off the US team, and in a true upset, took the win. The Jamaican team collapses surprised the crowd the most. But, it was the drama that keeps attracting fans to the sport.
The surprise should not have been such, as the British team does all that they should be doing. Adam Gemili told @runblogrun’s Stuart Weir post London: “With this generation of sprinters, we see what we’re doing individually and we’ve never had this many sprinters going sub 10 or sub 20, making finals this consistently”.
Adam Gemili, British Trials 2017, photo by David Wearn
Gemili is an athlete who has the speed to run a fast 100 meters, but a faster 200 meters. His relay skills, along with his team, make the Commonwealth and European Championships exciting goals for 2018.
On February 25, two of the relay team are racing the 60 meters in the Muller Indoor Grand Prix in Glasgow, Scotland. CJ Ujah and Adam Gemili are both racing the 60 meters (Gemili has a PB of 6.59). Gemili hopes to run the 60 meters in Birmingham.
The World Indoors and the Commonwealth Games are two of the three goals for Adam Gemili in 2018. While he is obviously proud of being part of the gold medal winning British 4×100 meter team, Adam Gemili wants to run well in his individual events.
The 60 meters in Birmingham should be one of the highlights of the World Indoors. Adam Gemili wants to be part of it. The 60 meters might be a bit short for this fast developing sprinter, but Adam Gemili will use the 60 meters on his way to having a fantastic 2018!
And always remember to check out www.wicbirmingham2018.com for more information on the World Championships!
