Hard work paying off for Dobbin
BETH DOBBIN worked four jobs in order to become the unlikeliest Brit to get to the World Cup.
As a receptionist at the high-performance centre in Loughborough, the young Scot sees British athletics’ stars come and go.
But in what is the ultimate Cinderella story, she put on her spikes a fortnight ago to become British champ over 200m – breaking the Scottish record twice in one day.
On Sunday she will be rewarded with her first British vest when she lines up against the strongest nations in the inaugural Athletics World Cup.
Dobbin, 24, said: “I want to be a full-time athlete, but I don’t have any funding. So I self-fund with four jobs.
“I work as a receptionist, and also on security checking passes at the main gates. On Thursdays, I go into schools and talk about athletics. I also input athletics results for the Power of 10 website.
“It’s quite tiring, but I don’t mind. If you don’t have the choice, which I don’t – I haven’t won the lottery or have any other financial income – you just get on with it.”
Doncaster-born Dobbin competes under the Scottish flag as her father is ex-Celtic midfielder Jim Dobbin. At the British trials she twice lowered the national record, winning in a new championship record of 22.59 seconds.
Doubtless it also raised a few eyebrows among the athletes whose credentials she checks on a daily basis.
“I have worked the security gate for four years, hopefully one day it will be me driving in,” Dobbin said.