The fastest woman in Scotland on rapid rise and Paris 2024 chances
DURING the course of our conversation, Alyson Bell describes her ascent within British sprinting as “insane” countless times. The hyperbole is not unfounded.
Three years ago, when Bell was watching the Tokyo Olympics, never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she’d be pressing for selection for Paris 2024.
Rather, the sprinter envisaged potentially becoming an Olympian in 2028, or even 2032.
But such has been the progress of Scotland’s top female sprinter, Bell is heading into this summer aiming to make a real push for the Olympics.
The 20-year-old from Glasgow first broke into the GB sprint relay squad last year, when she was part of the 4x100m team at the 2023 World Championships.
That selection was no flash in the pan, which was confirmed with her inclusion in GB’s 4x100m squad for the World Relays, which begins today in the Bahamas.
“It’s insane to be where I am now,” says Bell of becoming a regular fixture in Britain’s sprint relay squad.
“It’s massive to be in this relay squad from the very start of this season – it means I’m in the thoughts of the selectors right from the off which, hopefully, means everything’s falling into place.”
Alongside Bell in the Bahamas are her fellow Scots, Nicole Yeargin and Brodie Young, who are in the women’s and men’s 4x400m relays squads respectively.
Bell may be the youngest of the trio of Scots included in GB’s team this weekend but she’s by no means letting her youth hold her back.
Over the past two seasons, Bell has made a quite incredible improvement, transforming herself from a teenage prospect to someone who is now a serious consideration for every major championship.
Having won European under-20 and under-23 relay gold medals, Bell’s first senior GB selection came last summer, for the World Championships in Budapest.
However, luck was not on her side, with the Scot struck down by a bout of food poisoning on the eve of the relay heats, ruling her out of the running and preventing her from receiving a bronze medal after the GB squad finished third in the final.
It was a devastating blow and there was a concern that was to be the end of her international selection. She need not have worried, though.
As part of the British relay squad, Bell travelled to
Stellenbosch in South Africa in January for a training camp and being around the great and the good of British sprinting ensured the young Scot was on the receiving end of much helpful advice.
“Darren Campbell [a former Olympic champion] was there and it was great to speak to him,” says Bell.
“I have a tendency to be too reserved and he said I just need to own everything I do. The thing with sprints, he said, is you need to believe you’re going to be the fastest. Seeing someone like him who’s been through it all have that level of selfconfidence was really interesting.”
Having had a successful indoor season, which saw her set a new PB of 7.35 seconds, Bell heads into this summer knowing she has a realistic chance of being included in the women’s Olympic sprint relay squad alongside the likes of Dina AsherSmith and Darryll Neita.
What’s helped her settle into her dizying new-found status as a regular GB internationalist is that, incredibly, her flat-mate is on an almost identical journey.
Bell lives with Megan Keith in Edinburgh, where the pair are students at Edinburgh University with Keith, who has already secured the Olympic 10,000m qualifying time, looking a surefire bet to be included in Team GB for Paris 2024.
Both made their senior track GB debut at last summer’s World Championships and Bell admits it’s massively comforting having her great friend tread this unchartered ground alongside her.
“With Megan, I feel like I have a partner in crime right alongside me,” she says. “Our events are completely different which is nice because there’s no competitiveness between us – we’re both just so happy to see each other doing well.
“Last summer, it was a big deal to make the team for a major champs but I was doing it with Megan and you always feel that bit more comfortable when you’re with someone you know well.”
Bell’s plan for the coming months remains somewhat loose, with the one date certain in her calendar being the British Championships in June, which will double as the Olympic trials.
Selection is, of course, the ultimate goal of this season but she’s also got her sights firmly set on breaking the Scottish 100m record, something she fell short of by just 100th of a second last season by running 11.31 seconds.
“I feel in a good place,” she says.
“It’s been great being around the top British girls, it’s helped take me up a level so hopefully I can show that when I start racing.”