Pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw wins first competition after 16-month absence
By Mark Ashenden
Last Updated: 28/08/16 7:54am
After 16 months of not competing you'd expect a gentle return to the athletics arena to ease your way back in.
Pole vaulter and Sky Scholar Holly Bradshaw had other ideas on a drizzly afternoon in Cardiff on Sunday. Because of injuries and the top target of Rio medals next year, the Sky Scholar opted to miss the indoor season and competed at her first event in 16 months at the Welsh Championships.
Pole vaulters around the world had better watch out because in Holly's last blog, she declared her "time was now". It seems she wasn't joking. The 23-year-old from Preston and former European Indoor champion rocketed to the top of this year’s UK rankings after beating training partner Sally Peake to gold.
Here's Holly's latest blog on what it was like strolling back into the heat of competition with a world championship qualifying mark and a Welsh all-comers record of 4.50 metres.....
I have no expectations this year! I just want to compete, have fun and get back doing what I love
Holly Bradshaw
I was feeling very nervous ahead of the Welsh Championships this weekend but deep down I was super-excited to compete after so long.
I'd been counting down the days to the competition and the day before the meet I had the biggest smile on my face because I knew I got to compete the next day.
Training has been going well so my main focuses for the competition was to replicate what technical things we've been working on.
As soon as I got out to the competition area, all my nerves went. It was like I remembered what I had to do and I felt like it was where I belonged. Although it was raining and a little bleak, I loved every minute! I didn't care about anything other then picking up my pole and doing what I love.
When I cleared 4.35 metres and then 4.50 first time, I felt so happy. To get the Beijing qualification mark on my opening competition was a dream come true.
In my head anything could have happened on Sunday but as long as I compete, have fun and stay healthy then it's a massive result. To get a solid height as well was fantastic.
I can't tell you how excited I am to compete again. As soon as I finished the competition on Sunday, I just wanted to compete again that minute.
Luckily I only have to wait until this Saturday where I'm competing at the British Championships in Birmingham.
I love competing in front of a home crowd, especially in Birmingham! The crowd always gets behind us and that helps so much in events like the pole vault.
I have four more competitions to get ready for Beijing at the World Championships in August. I have no expectations this year! I just want to compete, have fun and get back doing what I love.
I've been out of competing for so long, I literally don’t know what's round the corner but I know one thing and that’s I'm healthy, hungry and all my focus points towards being at the top of my game at the Rio Olympics next year.
Holly Bradshaw is one of 12 athletes being supported through the Sky Academy Sports Scholarships scheme.
The Scholarships offer a programme of support tailored to each athletes specific requirements covering areas such as funding, media coaching, mentoring and wider developmental support.
