Judd rediscovers love for athletics and nets a new PB
JESSICA Judd may not have made the world 1500m final but she leaves London with something just as important - a rediscovered love for athletics.
Judd finished tenth in her semi-final in a time of 4:10.14 and believes the experience is just what she needs to kickstart her career.
The 22-year -old was seen as British middle distance running’s next big star as a teenager, winning bronze and silver at the world youth and junior championships.
She rewrote a host of age group records before bursting onto the senior stage with a victory at the European Team Championships four years ago and narrowly missed an 800m medal at the following year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
But struggles with injuries and form have slowed that progression, meaning she sat out the 2015 World Championships in Beijing and last year’s Olympics in Rio.
“It’s been a while since I’ve felt like this about my running,” she said.
“I want to be back and I want to be running fast but that was a big step forward for me, making a semi-final at this level.
“That was so hard but I gave it everything and I wouldn’t have run it any other way. I wanted to put myself out there and I think I did a good job.
“Looking at the times and the quality of that race it could have been a final in any other Olympics or World Championships, so it was great to test myself against the very best.
“I want more and I’m going to keep working hard because I think this is just the start for me. If you’d told me I’d be running in a world semi-final 12 months ago I wouldn’t have believed you. My aim was to get here and get through the first round and I did that and I’m really, really proud of myself.
“I’m a bit sad that my legs didn’t have a little bit more but that was really the best I could do. It hurt but I gave it everything. It’s a massive jump forward but I’ll be honest because I’m not quite ready for this level.”
Judd - who set a new 4:03.73 personal best in the heats - will have two targets next season, with the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast in April and the European Championships in Berlin a few months later.
“Athletics doesn’t really stop, you’ve got two big events next year, then another Worlds and then it’s the Olympics again,” she said.
“I’ve got to stay fit and healthy and keep doing what I’m doing in training. I’ve got another qualifying standard for the Commonwealth Games and that’s the next target.”