by Larry EderThis is the second week, 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, 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. Remember to support our sponsors. They are supporting the heart of running.
Today, we are writing about 2017 European Indoor Champ at 60 meters,the GBR’s Asha Philip!
And always remember to check out www.wicbirmingham2018.com
Asha Philip, photo by PhotoRun.net
Our sport is a tough sport.
What if you were a two sport athlete, and you ruptured your knee. A knee is a pretty important part of the body for any sport. For a gymnast and sprinter, it is an essential part of their physiogomy.
If you ruptured your knee, would you rehab for several years to come back?
Asha Philip did. Asha Philip ruptured her knee in 2007, missed 2008, and 2012, returning to the sport of athletics, having given up double mini-trampoline in 2007 (remember, Asha was the World junior champ at 15-16.
Then, in July 2007, Asha won the World Youth 100m champs ! That same month, she ruptured her knee, in a Trampoline championships, halting any sports for three years while she rehabbed!
The drive one must have to come back to activities that one loves is something that one can not discount. Asha Philip had to make a decision, and she choose athletics to focus on and that again, took years to return.
In 2014, she took the silver with her team in the 4×200 meters in the new World Relays in the May 2014 in the Bahamas. That summer, in Glasgow, Asha Philip took 4th in the 100 meter final and silver in the 4×100 meters at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. At the European Outdoor champs, Asha Philips took, with her team the gold in the 4×100 meters. She was on the way back!
In Rio 2016, , Asha Philip made the semi final of the 100 meters, but did not advance, finishing last in her semi final. In the 4×100 meters, along with team mates Desiree Henry, Dina Asher-Smith, Darilya Narita, Asha earned the bronze in a NR 41.77!
Asha Philip, photo by Photorun.net
Asha Philip ran a spectacular 60 meters in the European Indoors in Belgrade. In March 2017, running a NR, and PB of 7.06 to win the 60 meters in the Euro Indoors! Asha told the media then how much she enjoyed the 60 meters. Her outdoor PB of 11.10 suggests more development opportunities in the 100 meters, as her leg on the GBR 4×100 meters in London 2017, helped the team get the silver medal. The road in the London Olympic Stadium was deafening! The smiles on all four of the GBR athletes showed the pleasure of a job well done and battles well fought.
What do I like about Asha Philip? Her abiity to work, focus and have fun. Her social media is a lot of fun, it tells the story of someone who truly enjoys their life and knows when to be serious!
Asha Philip is aiming for the World Indoors in Birmingham. She loves the 60 meter distance and her 7.06 PB puts her in the thick of the fight! With a strong GBR crowd, Asha will have 12,000 fans on her side as she battles over sixty meters!
With the strength of mind and heart that Asha Philip has, it is very hard to not bet on her to be in the medal hunt. This European Indoor Champion is one tough athlete.
We look forward to seeing her race in March 2018 in the World Indoor Birmingham 2018 60 meters!
