Double sessions in Tulsa for rising star Aspiring athlete’s US scholarship
Aspiring Perth athletics star Ben Greenwood has been awarded a scholarship at the University of Tulsa in America.
And the middle-distance man believes his journey across the Atlantic to Oklahoma will help nudge his running up to the next level.
Greenwood, a former Perth Academy pupil, makes the move later this year having already run the rule over the campus.
The Perth Strathtay Harrier explained to the Perthshire Advertiser: “The main factor for making the move was I felt that it was the correct decision for me to continue the development I have had with my current coaching setup.
“I have a really good support team at the moment and I felt that now was the time where I would benefit most from the experience.
“Me and my dad visited the campus at the end of March to check the place out. It’s a small city and very quiet and so is the university.
“I couldn’t fault the place when I visited and I felt as though the coaching staff were people I could speak to and trust with my training.
“Their athletic program will see me training double sessions and having an environment which is solely focused to athletics which makes a huge difference.
“I feel the move will take my athletics to the next level. I feel that I am ready for the move and it will benefit me and help me to grow as an athlete.
“I head out mid August and will be studying a degree in finance. The degree is four years but I’ll be back over in the UK for Christmas and for the summer.”
Before heading Stateside, Greenwood is hoping to secure a place at the European Junior Championships in Grosseto, Italy.
Form is strong having clocked a new personal best 800m time of 1:48.80 at the weekend - and he knows that can be improved upon.
“I’m in really good shape at the moment,” Greenwood said. “I started off the season with some back problems which was affecting my racing but the past couple weeks I’ve been able to get rid of them and get some fast times down.
“The weekend’s race was decent. I’m happy with the time but I know there is more to come after watching the race back and analysing it.
“The next couple of months will see me racing at the British Junior Championships where I need to finish in the top two to qualify for the European Junior Championships in July.
“That is the main aim for the summer and I hope to get a good performance out there if I make the team.” Greenwood will attend the University of Tulsa on a scholarship