Moss is hoping to Jaz up the track
Gateshead prospect in running to be best of British
AFTER a successful 2019 and a fine indoor campaign, Jazmine Moss is on track to be the best of British in 2020, writes TONY HODGSON.
Gateshead Harrier Moss ran into superb form last year, the highlight being part of the victorious Great Britain junior 4x100 metres relay team at the Loughborough International meeting.
That success was extra special for the Northumbria University student as it was her first run-out in a national junior vest.
Moss, 18, followed that with more 4 x 100 metres relay glory for Great Britain at the Mannheim Gala in Germany.
The Durham-based athlete also took second place in the 200 metres and followed this up by being part of the winning 4x200 metres relay team at the Welsh Athletics Indoor International in Cardiff.
Those victories led to the young sprinter linking up with the Great Britain under-20 squad for the European Championships in Sweden, although she did not take part in any events.
Moss said: “2019 was a good year for me and I was really pleased with how my running went.
“Loughborough was a fantastic experience and I was so thrilled to win gold on my debut as an England junior. I also won the BUCS (British Universities Championship) title, setting a personalbest time in the process.
“Going to Sweden with England’s under-20 squad was great - although I did not compete on the track, just being there taught me an awful lot.”
Over the winter, sprinter Moss raced to gold-medal glory in the Scottish Indoor Championships and the North East Indoor Championships.
Now competing at under-23 level, she received her first senior call-up for England for a competition in Vienna, Austria, where she finished a creditable sixth, and won a silver medal at the British Indoor Championships.
The 18-year-old now has her sights set on this summer’s British Championships in Manchester, which have been provionally moved from next month until August 8 and 9 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
She added: “It has been difficult to train with the outbreak but hopefully l can get into shape and be ready if the championships go ahead.”
Moss, who took up athletics aged 11, praised her coach Bruce Horsburgh for keeping her burgeoning athletics career on the right track.
She added: “Bruce is like a grandfather to me and I would not be where I am today without his input.”
Horsburgh said: “Jazmine is a dependable, trustworthy, intelligent, polite, enthusiastic and popular athlete who has a fun personality but is extremely determined to succeed.
“She also integrates with the other athletes in the group, who train very well together, carrying out their sessions without complaint.”
Moss, who studies Applied Sport and Exercise Science at Northumbria, joined Gateshead Harriers in 2015 and has been trained by Horsburgh ever since.
Her potential was recognised earlier this year when she was one of the 2020 recipients of Sport Newcastle’s Rising Stars of Sport Awards.
IN THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF FEATURES ON THIS YEAR’S SPORT NEWCASTLE RISING STARS OF SPORT AWARD WINNERS, WE PROFILE GATESHEAD ATHLETE JAZMINE MOSS