The European U23 champion heads to Birmingham because the top-ranked 400m hurdler
Because the Novuna UK Athletics Championships in Birmingham strategy this weekend (August 2-3), one title producing loads of pleasure is Emily Newnham. The 21-year-old heads into the 400m hurdles using a wave of momentum, contemporary off a championship-record-breaking gold on the European U23 Championships, the place she clocked 54.08 — putting her fourth on the UK all-time listing.
On prime of that, she additionally walked away from Bergen with a second gold medal as a part of the victorious 4x400m relay staff.
After a standout season, Newnham is now getting ready to check herself as soon as once more — this time in opposition to the most effective within the nation.
“I feel I’m simply excited, to be sincere,” Newnham says. “British Champs is one other thrilling alternative to go on the market and expertise that stage of expectation on myself.”
This 12 months, Newnham arrives on the British Championships with a brand new form of alternative — one she hasn’t had on the occasion earlier than: not simply to compete, however to steer.
“There’s not many competitors environments that you simply’ll get within the senior stage the place you’ll be favorite,” she says. “So it’s vital to expertise what it’s prefer to have that expectation.”
Newnham enters the 400m hurdles because the quickest lady on paper and whereas she jokes concerning the strain that comes with “bib colors” (“I simply desire a regular colored bib at this level!”), she’s relishing the problem — notably the prospect of dealing with reigning British champion Lina Nielsen.
“I haven’t raced Lina since two years in the past on the British Champs once I got here third. I feel I ran like 57.13,” she says. “So hopefully it’ll be a bit extra of a tighter race.”
The last word objective, after all, is to substantiate her place on the World Championships in Tokyo. With the qualifying time already secured, a top-two end this weekend would seal her first-ever senior World Championships look.
Between the British Championships and Tokyo, the main focus will shift to sustaining momentum.
“I’d love to do one other 400 someplace. I must get a 200 time down too. I really feel like I haven’t educated in endlessly,” she says. “Hopefully every thing goes effectively at British Champs and I’ll get my Tokyo choice carried out. Then eyes might be on Tokyo and simply seeing how far I can get there.”
The trail so far hasn’t been easy, and Newnham overtly acknowledges how a lot her previous setbacks have formed her growth. Two years in the past, she narrowly missed out on a podium end on the European U20 Championships. However slightly than let that outline her, she used it as motivation.
“I wasn’t prepared mentally. I ready bodily and I used to be succesful, however I simply didn’t have the psychological headspace.”
Since then, she’s put within the psychological work — working with a sports activities psychologist, managing nerves extra successfully, and constructing the instruments to compete with confidence.
She’s additionally discovered how fleeting success can really feel in elite sport. Even after a serious win, the will to maneuver on to the subsequent problem kicks in rapidly.
“The frustration on the U20’s stayed with me for these two years, whereas successful nearly feels such as you simply transfer on to the subsequent factor,” she says.
“I don’t suppose you actually get time to sit down again and suppose till the top of the season,” she says. “It doesn’t actually really feel actual proper now.”
Alongside her particular person performances, this season has additionally seen Newnham thrive within the relay setting. She’s been a part of Nice Britain’s 4x400m squads, gathering silver and bronze medals on the European Indoor Championships — bronze within the combined relay, silver within the girls’s.
That staff setting has been a worthwhile studying area — notably with skilled athletes like Lina and Laviai Nielsen providing assist throughout unsure moments.
“I bear in mind again in Bahamas on the World Relays I used to be panicking as a result of I believed I may not get a run,” she says. “However Lina and Lavia have been all the time telling me to not fear and that I might get a run.
“Seeing how they function in these environments, even within the holding camp beforehand, you find yourself watching what they do through the day, how they put together, how they get well.”
Ask Newnham how she discovered herself within the 400m hurdles, and the reply comes rapidly. “I feel I used to be pushed,” she says. “I’ve all the time been an enormous advocate for not specialising too early. I did cross nation, sprints, even throws. Throws most likely was a step too far!”
It was that multi-event background — from cross nation to pentathlon — that helped her uncover the place her strengths lay.
“We realised I’ve obtained the velocity, however I may also do cross nation,” she says. “After which my coach Paul at dwelling mentioned, ‘let’s attempt 300m hurdles.’ I used to be like, what’s that?”
That preliminary trial run was one thing extra severe — and in the end, a breakthrough occasion.
“I ended up liking it far more than doing the 300m flat and now hurdles appears to be the one which’s caught.”
Newnham will race within the 400m hurdles on the British Championships this weekend, with the heats scheduled for August 2 at 11:40 and the ultimate on August 3 at 13:55.
Learn the complete preview right here.
