Athletics Weekly – July 24, 2019

(Joyce) #1

M


IGUEL FRANCIS believes
he made a statement
with his 19.97 200m at the
Müller Anniversary Games
as he continues his comeback
after injury struggles, writes
Jessica Whittington.
The Montserrat-born sprinter
transferred his allegiance to Britain
in 2017 and hopes to represent
the nation at the IAAF World
Championships in Doha later this
year in both the half-lap event and
relay.
His UK-leading time clocked
when finishing runner up behind
Xie Zhenye of China’s 19.88 Asian
record in London ranks him equal
third on the British all-time list
alongside Adam Gemili, behind only
John Regis and Nethaneel Mitchell-

Blake, though he has a faster PB
of 19.88 – just 0.01 off the British
record – which he ran in 2016.
“After what I have been through,
to come back and run 19 seconds,
that should be a statement,
definitely,” said Francis, who works
with Glen Mills, coach of sprints
great Usain Bolt, in Jamaica as
part of the Racers Track Club.
“My training over the past six
weeks, I’ve been feeling really
good, really strong.
“I knew the type of shape I was
in but I wasn’t 100% confident in
myself because I was coming off
a few injuries. To run sub-20, I’m
really pleased with that.”
Francis represented
Antigua & Barbuda at the 2014
Commonwealth Games and 2015

World Championships having
moved there with his family when
he was a few months old after a
volcanic eruption on his home
Caribbean island.
But the Wolverhampton & Bilston
athlete, who has family in the West
Midlands, was eligible for a transfer
to GB with his birthplace being a
British overseas territory and his

focus is now on next month’s
British Championships in
Birmingham and securing a place
on the team bound for Doha later
in the year.
“I’m feeling really good,” said
Francis, who has had surgeries on
his right ankle and knee in the past
couple of years. “My confidence
level was just not here because I’ve
hardly been competing. This is my
first race since May, my first 200m
since April.
“I’ve been seeing everybody
else running their fast times and
to come out here and run fast, it’s
a confidence boost and I’m just
looking forward to the rest of the
season.”
» Müller Anniversary Games
coverage, p12-

6 AW


Miguel makes his mark


SUB-20 OVER 200m FROM ENIGMATIC BRITISH SPRINTER AT MÜLLER ANNIVERSARY GAMES


DIGEST THE LATEST FROM THE WORLD OF ATHLETICS


Miguel Francis:
next target is
British Champs

MARK SHEARMAN



I knew the type


of shape I was in


but I wasn’t 100%


confident in myself


because I was


coming off a few


injuries. To run sub-


20, I’m really pleased


with that

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