Disappointed Croydon Harrier Rooney blames UK bosses for injury
By Graham Moody »
Martyn Rooney blamed what he called a “rubbish” performance at Crystal Palace on Saturday on UK Athletics, saying his injury-plagued season was their fault.
The 22-year-old Croydon Harrier came home a disappointing fifth in the 400m in a slow 45.63 seconds in only his second race of the season ahead of next month’s World Championships in Berlin.
Afterwards, he revealed UKA blocked him from taking his own physios to a warm weather training camp in Los Angeles over the winter which he believes caused the hamstring injury that almost devastated his season.
He said: "I had a solid set up when I was in Loughborough but unfortunately I wasn’t allowed to bring my physios with me to LA, I was blocked by the bosses at UKA.
"It was a shame as it would have been all fine, I had it all set up but it didn’t fit into the warm weather training camp thing.
"Getting injuries is horrible and frustrating but I’m feeling healthy now.
“Today it felt good, I just have to keep on top of it.”
In front of his home crowd Rooney emerged on to the track wearing the new Crystal Palace home shirt but could not repeat his winning performance from last year, when he ran under 45 seconds for the first time in his career.
“It was a bit rubbish,” he said.
"I was very disappointed and I ran pretty poor but I’m just rusty.
"Down the back straight I felt quite lost but that will come with racing.
"It was windy but I want to run 44.3 seconds and I should have been able to manage that.
“Before the injury I had the best winter of my life so I expect to do better.”
Rooney should be named in the British team for Berlin when it is announced tomorrow and will race in Monaco tomorrow night in a bid to prove his fitness.
“I have got four weeks to get where I want to be for Berlin, I just need to get sharp,” he said.
“I think it will come back to me, I just need a couple of races.”