Olympic 400metres champion Christine Ohuruogu left for Jamaica on Tuesday to undertake a three-week training period.
Ohuruogu will spend an intensive stay with the Racers Track Club, alma mater of Usain Bolt the world 100m and 200m record holder. The 25-year-old Londoner will forego the indoor season to concentrate on the outdoor competition and in particular the European Athletics Championships.
“I have never been to Jamaica before and am very excited about the trip. Jamaican athletics is very strong at the moment and I want to go and experience their passion and excitement first hand,” Ohuruogu said.
She added: “Coach Glen Mills kindly offered me the opportunity to train with the Racers TC group which includes many top 400m runners like Olympic finalist Rosemarie Whyte, Jamaican champion Ricardo Chambers and Commonwealth medallist Jermaine Gonzales.”
Despite being many miles away Ohuruogu will feel at home as long-time training partner, British 100m title holder Simeon Williamson, has been training in Jamaica over the winter. Their coach Lloyd Cowan will join the pair next week.
Ohuruogu added: "Simeon has been training in Jamaica since October and Lloyd will come out for 10 days. I am already close to many of the top Jamaican athletes as we share the same management company PACE Sports Management.
“It will be great to see Usain again and do some training together.”
Ohuruogu plans to open her season with some low key meets in the USA in April and then the IAAF Diamond League where she will face the top 400m runners on a regular basis.
Winning the gold medal in Barcelona in July would make her only the fifth British athlete to achieve the ‘grand slam’ of Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European titles.
Kingston: Britain’s Olympic, World & Commonwealth
400m champion, Christine Ohuruogu, left the cold London winter weather today to sample the sunnier climate of Kingston, Jamaica where she will spend the next three weeks training with Racers Track Club.
The 25 year old will forego the indoor season to concentrate on the outdoor competition and in particular the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona in July where a gold
medal would make her only the fifth British athlete to win the ‘Athletics Grand Slam’ of Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European titles.
“I have never been to Jamaica before and am very excited about the trip. Jamaican athletics is very strong at the moment and I want to go and experience their passion and
excitement first hand. Coach Glen Mills kindly offered me the
opportunity to train with the Racers TC group which includes many top 400m runners like Olympic finalist Rosemarie Whyte, Jamaican Champion Ricardo Chambers and Commonwealth medallist Jermaine Gonzales.”
Usain Bolt, World and Olympics sprint double champion and record holder in both events, heads the group.
Despite being many miles away Ohuruogu will feel at home as long time training partner British 100m Champion Simeon
Williamson has been training in Jamaica over the winter and coach Lloyd Cowan will join the pair next week.
“Simeon has been training in Jamaica since October and Lloyd will come out for 10 days. I am already close to many of the top Jamaican athletes as we share the same management company PACE Sports Management. It
will be great to see Usain again and do some training together.”
Ohuruogu plans to open her season with some low key meets in the US in April and then the IAAF Diamond League where she will face the top 400m runners on a regular basis.