The female competitors
Sam Backwell (18) – heptathlete
Lives with her mother Tina, father Tom and brother Timothy. Has GCSEs in PE, Geography, Music, Maths, English, Food Sciences and English Lit. She is currently coaching athletics part time. If she is not a successful athlete she would like to coach sports. She enjoys socialising with friends and boyfriend, especially dancing and karaoke. She likes going to the beach and spending time with her grandparents on the farm, as well as training and improving her performances.
Favourite movies/TV: Funny films; Graham Norton on TV Music: Anything from R&B, drum ‘n’ bass to Michael Jackson and Elton John Favourite food: Mashed potatoes and baked beans Personality: I get annoyed when people make fun and take advantage of others. If I feel angry I go to the gym and let off steam. Have a phobia of spiders and single wish would be for everyone to be happy Favourite celebrity pin up: Johnny Wilkinson What are you afraid of: Someone telling me I’m not good at something I really enjoy eg athletics.Wouldn’t know what to say What are you good at: Organising myself, making friends, motiviating others What are you bad at? Maths, ironing and taking photos Three things you’d take to a desert island: Teddy; jar of Vaseline; motorbike If you could be anyone else for a day you’d be... A pilot flying a fast jet Greatest sporting disappointment: Not being able to do high jump very well Greatest non-sporting achievement: Not getting a C grade in my maths re-take
What makes you stand out from a crowd? On her sport: My smile and determination. I’ve had disappointments I prefer doing more than one thing, it makes it growing up but each time I’ve started again and kept more interesting for me. I dropped out of trying. I loved ballet and gym but I got injured in a car basketball – it was getting too serious and I just accident and couldn’t perform to the same standard. wanted to do it for fun. Sometimes it can be too When I was in a wheelchair I took up the flute and serious for what people want.The athletics has just guitar.When I recovered I started running and playing progressively got more serious – so I haven’t had basketball. I am very determined and want to succeed. to be serious from the start, just gradually and it’s much better like that. It’s important to have fun as On Born To Win: well. I concentrate more on my sport but I’ve still My aim is to stay all the way and try out all of the done really well at college, I don’t know how! events because they’re all really good. I’m going to try my best at everything, obviously, and if my best means not winning then I’m not going to worry. This is going to be such a big thing I think we’re all going to get something good out of it.
Born To Win 14 The female competitors
Charlotte Best (18) – 400m/800m runner
Lives with mother Mandy, father Mark, sister Leanne, brother Alex, and dog Buster, a Staffordshire bull terrier. Has just finished studying for her A levels. She works part time at Crawley Leisure Centre on the junior athletics staff. In the future she would like to get her degree in sports science with business management and make a career out of it. She enjoys shopping, bowling, ice skating and amusement parks. Likes going to the cinema and pubs with friends.
Favourite movies/TV: Enjoy any movie except horror; I like EastEnders. Music: R&B, garage and hip hop Favourite food: Chinese Three words that best describe you: Ambitious, sociable and honest What are you afraid of? Spiders What are you bad at? Getting up early in the morning Three things you’d take to a desert island: A picture of family and friends; a boat; radio and CD player with CDs If you could be anyone else for a day you’d be... Jennifer Lopez Greatest sporting achievement: Winning the U17 sports person of the year twice at my local running club – Crawley AC Greatest sporting disappointment: Getting disqualified in a race, broke before the line in the 800m If you were in a film: I would be in an action/romantic film where I had to solve a mission
On Born To Win: On her sport: I’ve been training hard and I’m at my best so I started very young, when I was in year six at whatever comes I’ll be happy with.At the moment school, a cross-country run.Then when I was in everyone’s really relaxing and trying to get on with secondary school I did another one and this girl everyone else, but when people actually do compete beat me so my dad thought he’d put me in a club. they’ll be more focused, and more nervous and That’s where it started and it went on from there… stressed. I think it will rapidly change in one day. At the moment on track 800m is supposed to be my main event but I’ve been moving around. Last I found Loughborough very hard, some of it. I got year I did 1500m more, and this year I did 800m very nervous – you walked in and everybody was and 400m. But while I’m in cross country I’m quite looking at you; there were lights shining right down competitive through the winter season as well, so I on you and you could cut the atmosphere with a actually range quite well. knife. But I did all right, I was really happy with myself that I got through it. I did really well on the I think the girls’ competition is very high – much 5km run, that’s what I was waiting for – I thought if higher every year, it’s really hard.The times are I could get through all the beginning bit with an dropping drastically while the boys are more steady average or a bit above average, then I could blast it I think – but the girls are really competitive. on the final 5km run and I won it in the end.
Born To Win 15 The female competitors
Louise Bloor (17) – long jumper
Lives at home in Rotherham with her mother Sharon and father Michael. She is currently studying for her A Levels but has had a part time job as an assistant sports coach working with children aged 8-11. In the future she would like to be a physiotherapist. She enjoys shopping, going out with friends, cinema, bowling and watersports in the summer. In the evening she enjoys going to bars and nightclubs. She likes going to town and shopping. Favourite movies/TV: Comedies/Graham Norton Music: Pop and dance. Favourite song is Dirty by Christina Aguilera Favourite food: Sausage sandwich What would you change about yourself? I would like to have more patience What irritates you? Waiting for buses Three words that best describe you: Perfectionist, determined and caring What are you afraid of?/Phobias Being alone in the house in the dark/Spiders What are you good at? Long jump and short sprint What are you bad at? Sewing Three things you’d take to a desert island: Motorboat to get off it; Suntan lotion; my friend Laura Greatest sporting achievement: Winning the English schools Long Jump title Greatest non-sporting achievement: Passing my driving test first time
On Born To Win: On her sport: It’s really exciting. I’m feeling really confident for all The higher the competition the more motivated I the sprints and the agility events, but the endurance am. I thrive on the audience and everyone being ones I’ll just be focusing on what I’ve got to do to there – it keeps me going. stay in it because I know I can’t win those events. But I’m looking forward to them all. You can all be at the same level but if you’re not focused, if you’re not determined enough you can’t At the regional trials I didn’t really know what to concentrate on something and that can get to you expect because they said, you’ve got so many eventually.You’ll have a mental block and things will points out of 100 and then you just went and didn’t go wrong. But I’m quite confident of my own hear anything more from it for a couple of months. mental strength. Then they said you’ve got through to the trials in Loughborough and it got really exciting.To get My mum and dad have always supported me through the that stage was amazing, it was a really through it and would always take me to everything; good experience. I really enjoyed it; it was probably when you get to a certain level your parents have one of the best weekends I’ve had in a long time. It got to be as dedicated as the child to get you was really relaxed and I loved every minute of it. through it.
Born To Win 16 The female competitors
Catriona Christie (18) – high jumper
Lives with mother Caroline, father Christopher and brother Andrew. She has just completed her A-Levels and works part-time as a banquet waitress at a hotel. If she’s not successful in sport she would like to go to drama school and become an actress. In her spare time she enjoys playing the clarinet and piano, listening to music, going out with friends and reading. Favourite movies/TV: Romantic comedies/Friends Favourite food: Chocolate Where did you grow up? Burnham What irritates you? People lacking common sense Three words that best describe you: Dancing, smiling, tall Phobias: Spiders and insects What do you look for in friends? Humorous, caring, talkative Favourite holiday: Caribbean and Amazon cruise Three things you’d take to a desert island: Bikini; mobile phone; sleeping bag Greatest sporting achievement: Winning the English schools high jump Greatest sporting disappointment: Performing badly at the AAAs
On Born To Win: On her sport: Obviously I’ll give it a good go, try my hardest at all I never think this is what I’m going to do and I’m the events. Some of them I’ll be good at, some of going to do it regardless because it could go them not so good at but I’ll give it a stab. I’m here wrong.Yes, I want to be a sports star but if it went to win but we’ll see how it goes. wrong I’d like to be an actress. I love both equally and I will do both of them for as long as I can until We’ve been waiting around lots of times and Dave one of them takes off more. If I suddenly I became [Collins] says it’s exactly what a top-class athlete a fantastic sports star I would take that all the way does anyway at the Olympics: a lot of waiting but if that went a bit wrong and my acting was around and then straight out to compete. I think going well then I’d go with that one. I’m not one of it’s a really good way of teaching us at a younger those people who says I’m going to make the age what it’s going to be like if and when we make Olympics because I don’t think that’s right – if it it to the top. People go to the Olympics very young goes wrong you just get really depressed. these days and can be a bit fazed by it all but we’ll be more experienced at how to cope with the I just generally love the arts, singing, dancing, acting, pressures. In fact the whole experience that we’re playing music, I love being creative, I like making getting from being out here and being away from things. I do think that the broader spectrum of home, in a new place and having to cope with things you do makes you more experienced in more everything and all the emotions by ourselves, is fields, and I definitely think the more things you do, fantastic. So if I don’t win I’m going to take all that the more experienced you become and the more experience away with me. you can cope with anything that life throws at you.
Born To Win 17 The female competitors
Channelle Garnett (18) – sprint hurdler
Lives in London with her mother and brother. Gained a Sports Progression Award, Level 1 and an NCFC Coaching Award. Did work experience at Boots Opticians and would like to go into coaching or become a physiotherapist in the future. Enjoys doing extra training, listening to music, going to the cinema and socialising with her friends.
Movies/TV Horror and action films such as Rush Hour 2 and Final Destination 2/EastEnders Music: R&B, slow jam and reggae. Favourite songs are Don’t Know What To Tell You and I Miss You by Aaliyah, Gossip Folks by Missy Elliot Favourite food: Rice, chicken, roast potatoes and peas What makes you lose your temper and how do you deal with it? People who lie. I deal with it by talking about it in the appropriate manner Three words that best describe you: Ambitious, outgoing and determined Least favourite sporting activity: Swimming and bowling What are you afraid of? Being a failure What are you good at? Athletics, dancing, making people laugh, ice skating, acting, basketball, football, tennis What are you bad at? Singing Greatest sporting achievement: Winning the English schools competition Greatest sporting disappointment: Tripping over the second to last hurdle when in the lead
On Born To Win: It’s good experience. It’s a good atmosphere, it’s a I study sports and I’m going to do a B tech next new thing for me. I’m looking forward to the sprint. year. I do 100m hurdles and heptathlon, which I like I’m pretty confident, hopefully I’ll get through to because you do every single type of event and the finals, I’ll keep focused.You don’t want to be don’t get bored – I like to do a variety. I’m not looking all silly in front of the TV audience! really consistent, I’d like to be more like Colin [Jackson] so I’m hoping to get some tips from him Loughborough was difficult, definitely the cross while we’re here. country was so hard. After 2k I was really tired and gasping for breath and I was like, we have to go up I’d like to make people look up to me and I could this steep hill?! help them. Katherine Merry and Denise Lewis are good role models in that sense. On her sport: My teacher first noticed that I had potential when I was running with the boys so she gave me a leaflet for the club. My mum took me there and that’s where it first started.
Born To Win 18 The female competitors
Ashleigh Palmer-Johnson (16) – sprinter
Lives at home in Berkshire with her parents Diana and Gus and grandfather Bert. She has just completed her GCSEs. Currently works as a casual leisure service officer at Thames Valley Athletics Centre in Eton and in the future would like to go to university and study to become a sports chiropractor in order to help other athletes overcome injury. In her spare time she enjoys writing songs, recording in the studio, dancing, playing basketball, clothes shopping and spending time with her friends.
Favourite movies/TV: Comedy films and V Graham Norton, Jonathan Ross Music: R&B, hip hop, soul, Motown. Favourite song is You Remind Me by Usher Favourite food: Poached salmon in dill sauce Three words that best describe you: Friendly, determined and thoughtful Phobias: Snails up the garden path If you had a single wish what would it be? To stand on the podium at the Olympics as gold medallist with the national anthem playing, watching the Union flag being raised and crying my eyes out Favourite author/read: Spike Milligan and My Part In Hitler’s Downfall by Spike Milligan Characteristics you look for in a friend: Loyalty, honesty and a sense of humour Three things you’d take to a desert island: For survival: Swiss army knife, matches and hardwearing shoes For myself: a mini-disk, a photo of family and friends and a perfume spray. Greatest sporting achievement: Reaching the 200m final of the AAAs If a film was made about you what would it include? Dancing, singing, music, sport and lot and lots of laughter
On Born To Win: On her sport: I’m a sprinter and I was a bit worried about the All my friends are like,‘Come out!’ And I’m like,‘I’ve endurance side of things before we had our training got to train, I’ve got to compete,’ so I have to stay schedules done. My endurance has never been that in. It’s hard but it pays off. weak but since I’ve done the training and incorporated my training with Steve’s training it’s If I win this competition one of my main aims got a lot higher. Even if I don’t win I think that a lot would be to encourage younger people or people of what we’re going to do is going to reflect on my who don’t have the opportunity to be where they fitness in general so it’s going to make me a lot want to be in sport or who feel like they can’t fitter and give me a more competitive edge. I’m carry on. I’d like to tell them that you can, you can competitive anyway but this whole thing is such an do it if you try. experience. It’s a good test for myself of what I can do, and my limits, so I’m looking forward to it.
Born To Win 19 The female competitors
Kelly Rodmell (17) – double heptathlete
Lives in Northumberland with her parents Alan and Brenda. Has completed her GCSE examinations, works part time as a cleaner and would like to be a full-time athlete in the future. In her spare time Kelly enjoys horse-riding.
Who do you particularly admire? Kelly Holmes. She is just like me as she has had to come back from injuries and never gives up Favourite song: Sk8erboi by Avril Lavigne Favourite food: Anything healthy Three words that best describe you: Fit, strong and healthy If you had a single wish what would it be? To win the lottery Favourite sporting hero: Haile Gebrselassie for the way he presents himself, plus his incredible ability Favourite celebrity pin up: David Beckham What are you really bad at? Singing Three things you’d take to a desert island: Trainers; picture of my family and animals; food Greatest sporting achievement: Winning silver in the World Double Heptathlon Championships; becoming a world record holder for the double heptathlon Greatest sporting disappointment: Missing out on the gold medal because I messed up with three events to go
On Born To Win: On her sport: I think all of our strong points and weak points are It was mostly down to my sister; I remember one going to come through in the events. I’m looking day she said ‘I want to go along to the track and forward to the endurance-based ones, and the start running,’ and I remember the first day I went biking and the swimming. I feel confident, I’m just along – I was in my little Arran cardigan and blue going to take each day and each competition as it shorts. I just started from there, I had a love of it, comes and every event that gets put to me, I’m just thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a way of getting all just going to do the best that I can. your emotions and your energy out. I’ve done it since I was about 10 years old. I already knew Louise Webster slightly before we Some people have got natural ability, some haven’t, came here – we met at a meeting in Birmingham but I think it’s not only important to be fit and when Haile Gebrselassie broke his world record healthy, you’ve got to have it mentally really to cope indoors. Louise and I did an invitation race with the pressures, you’ve got to be mentally together over 1,000m and when we saw each strong to be in this business. I think that’s what other here it was like, I recognise you! decides a winner and loser.
Born To Win 20 The female competitors
Ashley Scott (17) – footballer and karate player
Lives at home in Gateshead with her mum Marie and sister Natalie. Ashley gained 13 GCSEs and hopes to go on to University and then join the police force. She enjoys sport, going to the gym, listening to music, watching videos, chatting on the phone with her friends and shopping.
Movies/TV Comedies and romance – anything but horror. Favourite TV show is either Friends,V Graham Norton or They Think It’s All Over. Likes Ant and Dec Music: Pop, R&B, dance, love songs. Favourite song is All I Have by J-Lo and LL Cool J Favourite food: Corned beef pie, chips and beans Three words that best describe you: Laid-back, outgoing and adventurous What do you look for in a friend? A good sense of humour, someone not easily offended who likes a good night out and a good night in, is lively and talkative and has things in common with me Favourite sporting hero: Denise Lewis because she has a great sporting attitude – she is all about determination and encouraging young people to get involved in sport Favourite celebrity pin up: Robbie Williams Three things you’d take to a desert island: Photo of my family; a football; a razor Greatest sporting achievement: Getting to the England football trials Greatest sporting disappointment: Coming second after drawing on points in a national karate championship without a rematch
On Born To Win: I had my back injury at Loughborough – the day I don’t think I can win because I’ve got too many after that competition I could hardly walk, I was injuries. I wasn’t even going to be allowed to come dragging my legs along! But it’s not during out – it was a last-minute decision, but I was always competition when it hurts, it’s afterwards. My determined to come and I’m not going to let them recovery is really slow, so I don’t know how that’s send me home! I’ve done the ligaments in both my going to affect me here – competing day after day. ankles running in training, and playing football. I’ve We’ll just have to see what happens. I’ve got a got shin splints – I’ve had them for years. I’ve torn a masseuse who I’ll be keeping busy! muscle in my thigh sprinting, I’ve got an injured coccyx and a stress fracture on the bottom of my spine so I’m in quite a lot of pain – more discomfort than anybody else. I tried to do the climbing yesterday but I couldn’t grip it because I broke my finger. I’ll just have to block out the pain!
Born To Win 21 The female competitors
Liz Sweeney (17) – high jumper and heptathlete
Lives at home in Liverpool with her mother Anne, father Brian and brothers Ben and Chris. Liz gained nine GCSEs at grade A and A* and has so far gained three AS levels. She hopes to go to university to study medicine and go on to become a doctor. She enjoys training, going to the cinema and having a meal out with friends. Movies/TV: Comedies, romantic comedies, political thrillers/EastEnders. Likes Ant and Dec Music: R&B, pop, rap. Favourite song is Just A Little by Liberty X Three words that best describe you: Loyal, competitive, fun-loving If you had a single wish, what would it be? To be a successful international athlete and win the Olympic Games Favourite read: Harry Potter by J K Rowling What do you look for in a friend? Loyalty, good humour, honesty and imagination Favourite celebrity pin up Ben Affleck Three items you’d take to a desert island: Trainers, pen and paper, piano If you could be anyone for a day it would be... Victoria Beckham Greatest sporting achievement: Winning AAAs and English Schools high jump this season and gaining my first Great Britain call up Greatest sporting disappointment: Losing AAA competition when I had previously achieved the winning height What would be included in a film about you? Sport, music, school, friends, church On Born To Win: On her sport: I’m not nervous yet but I probably will be just I don’t like my school work to suffer through before the events. I’ll take each one as it comes and athletics. I want to do medicine at university so the hope for the best. Just to get here I think is amazing. grades are important. If I’ve got a training session Everyone said, even if we go out in the first show one evening and an exam in the morning, I’ll stay in we’ve had such a great time this week. Seeing what and revise because my A levels are just as goes on, because it’s totally new for all of us, is just important as my athletics.You have to keep a brilliant, so I’m really enjoying it no matter what balance but I want to do well in both, I don’t want happens.We’ve been doing all kinds of different to let either one of them suffer. training. I’ve been going on morning jogs at silly hours, doing different aspects of fitness that I It can be hard: I was in the national potential squad wouldn’t normally do which has helped me improve. for high jump and that’s held in Birmingham, so every Sunday I’d have to travel down there and I was selected for the European Youth Olympics in back and do my homework in the car.All the Paris which clashes with this – it was the worst specialist costs – I’m right-foot take off which is dilemma I’ve had in my life, But the effort I’ve gone awkward because most people are left-foot, so I to to get here … the national trials were in the had to get my high jump spikes imported from middle of two weeks of warm weather training for China, they’re the only ones; it’s so expensive. In me so we rearranged my flights so I could get to that way I think it’s really difficult.You have to get Loughborough and to do all that to get to Austria, to the top before you get that sort of support, but and then to say okay I won’t do it… you need the help to get to the top.
Born To Win 22 The female competitors
Louise Webster (18) – 400m runner
Lives at home in the West Midlands with her mother Molly, father Stephen, sister Rachel and brother Andrew. She works as a sports technician helping pupils with sports equipment and art classes. She enjoys listening to music, watching television, shopping, riding her bike and playing football.A good night out would be a meal with some close friends having a laugh. Movies/TV: Romance, action, comedy/My Wife And Kids. Likes Graham Norton Who do you admire? Paula Radcliffe because she has worked so hard to get to where she is today. Music: R&B, Pop. Favourite song is by Craig David Favourite food: Jacket potato, sweetcorn, pepper, chicken, raddish, carrot and pickled onion Three words that best describe you: Bubbly, hyperactive, laid-back If you had a single wish, what would it be? Olympic champion at 400m Favourite reads: Autobiographies. Favourite book is Denis Lewis’s Personal Best Characteristics you look for in a friend: Honesty, trustworthiness, friendly, things in common with me, a good talker What are you afraid of? Growing old Three things you’d take to a desert island: Sunglasses; food; tall dark handsome man Greatest sporting achievement: Getting picked to run at the Grand Prix in 1999 as part of McDonalds 25th exhibition race Greatest sporting disappointment: Not yet reaching English schools
On Born To Win: couple of weeks, and three or four weeks went by I’ve never been warm weather training and I’ve so I thought, oh I haven’t got through.Then we got a never been away from home for a competition so telephone call saying I had – I just took it normally it’s a brand new experience.You learn things about and my mum was saying,‘Sound excited!’ yourself and other people and what your limits are. Learning things about how you can push yourself to On her sport: the limit and what pain barriers you can push When I was at primary school we used to do cross yourself through; learning about yourself and other country and I really love running. Now, if my mum people, learning to get on with other people and and dad say you’re not going training I’m like… why? the different backgrounds that they are from. I That’s one of the only things I get upset about. think we’re all basically the same, though; we all love sport so everyone has that in common. I’ve been doing 400m for about two years; before that I was an 800m runner but I wasn’t improving I think my parents are surprised at how well I’ve as much as I wanted.The training I was being given done in this competition because I don’t think they wasn’t suited to me because my coach had such a thought I’d get through. I didn’t know what to big group, he couldn’t pay attention to me.The expect and I was surprised too.When we did the group I’m in now, there’s six girls which is really regional trials they said they’d let us know within a good because he can zoom in to us. It’s better now.
Born To Win 23