Rodger back to his best and enjoying athletics once again

Seb Rodger, the 400m hurdler who returned to Eastbourne last September after training in Bath as part of the national set-up, has had a blistering start to the year, winning a race in Vienna running for England.

He said, “I have been delighted how well training has been going this winter, back in Sussex under my original coach Steve King.

Confirmation of just how well things have been going came when, running for England, I ran 46.48 seconds indoors over 400 metres, winning the international in Vienna and gaining the “A” standard for the World Indoor Championships.

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“It was really fantastic to discover that this was faster than Roger Black, one of the all-time British greats, ever ran over 400 metres indoors.

“It is early in the season but more importantly it also ranks me No 1 in Great Britain and Europe over 400 metres this year – and this event is only the groundwork for my event, the 400m hurdles.

“This stands me in good stead to run at the [World Indoor Championships in Portland, Oregon between, March 17-20.

However, whatever happens indoors this season is a stepping stone to competing over 400m hurdles at the Olympic Games in Rio this summer.

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“Setting such a great time this early in the year over the 400m flat gives me a fantastic springboard for the year ahead.

“When Steve and I were planning my winter schedule, we didn’t really take success indoors into consideration at all. But now my time has put me into contention for a place to run for Great Britain at the World Indoor Championships, we can’t ignore it.

“I’m so happy with how things are going. Ever since I came back to Steve I’m just enjoying the sport again and that’s what it’s all about.

“It takes me back to the feeling as a teenager years ago, when I wasn’t ranked highly even in Sussex, when I was just enjoying my athletics.

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“In the last couple of years, it just became a job and not one I was enjoying, but now what I am doing is working.

I trust Steve 100 per cent and it’s great to see him happy too, at becoming an international coach.

“The team around me now is perfect and this is being reflected in my performances.

I’ve had a huge amount of support from people and I’m hearing from people I haven’t heard from in years.”