Ava John – from under 11 beginner to representing Team GB
I got involved in athletics as a way for my parents to try to wear me out(!) and I began in 2016 as an under 11 by joining a small local athletics group for children every Sunday morning. Alongside this, I also started doing cross country at school and playing lots of other sports, including football, rugby, swimming and netball.
In my first two years, I competed in sprints and long jump. In 2018, as an under 13, I continued to compete in sprints and long jump, plus tried 800m and high jump for the first time. I also entered my first combined events competition. In 2019, I tried hurdles for the first time and competed in another indoor combined events competition, which I won!
I had improved my PBs in 100m, 200m, long jump, high jump and shot put in 2019 and after moving to Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club, I started to train more frequently. Thanks to my sprint coach Lesley Pearson, I managed to keep training through lockdown and I increased my focus on other events, including training for jumps with Danny Sawyers.
Joining Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club was the real start of my athletics journey. Competing for the club at Alder Valley and Youth Development League matches in 2021 set me up really well for my first English Schools National Championships in July, where I won a silver medal in the 75m hurdles with a new PB. I also competed at the South of England Championships in August, winning a silver medal in the long jump, after winning gold at the Middlesex County Championships in July. After improving PBs during the season in 100m, 200m, 800m, long jump, high jump and shot put, I ended the season winning long jump gold representing Middlesex at the South of England Inter Counties in September.
In addition, I decided to give combined events a try and competed at the London Schools Combined Events Championships, finishing 2nd. This qualified me for English Schools Regional Combined Events Championships, where I finished 3rd, which qualified me for the English Schools National Combined Events Championships – finishing in the top four in this event meant I got my first English Schools vest, competing at the SIAB International Pentathlon in December in Glasgow – a great experience where I learnt a lot and made some great friends.
In 2022, as a first year under 17, I competed for Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club at all levels, including the National League, plus had a great Middlesex County Championships in May, winning silver in the 300m and gold in both the long jump and shot put. In June I won gold in the 300m at the Middlesex Schools Championships, which also qualified me for my second English Schools National Championships in July. I also competed at the South of England Championships, where I won a bronze in the long jump.
In combined events, I competed in the English Schools Regional Combined Events Championships, where I won gold. In September, I was selected to represent England for the first time, for a Heptathlon in Belfast, which I won with a championship best performance! Then two weeks later at the English Schools National Combined Events Championships, I won bronze – this meant that I again represented England Schools at the at the SIAB International Pentathlon, where I also won bronze.
In 2023, I continued to compete for the club, winning four times and improving my javelin PB. As a second year under 17, I also improved my PBs in the 100m, hurdles, long jump, high jump and shot put. In Championships, I won hurdles and shot put gold at the Middlesex County Championships in May, hurdles and long jump gold at the Middlesex County Schools Championships in June, competed in the long jump at the English Schools National Championships and in July won long jump silver in my first England Athletics National Championships.
In combined events, I competed at my first England Athletics National Championships, (the March indoors competition in Sheffield), won the English Schools Regional Combined Events Championships in June and finished fourth at the English Schools National Combined Events Championships. As an under 17, I was ranked #4 in the U.K. for Heptathlon and #2 in the U.K. for Pentathlon.
This year, in my first year as an under 20, I continued to compete for the club, winning six times and I competed for the first time at the Loughborough International. With my major focus being combined events, I competed in the Pentathlon at the England Athletics Indoor National Championships in January, winning bronze and was then again selected to represent England, for an indoor Pentathlon in January in Norway, where I won the silver medal. In the outdoor season, I had a great experience competing at a Heptathlon in Switzerland, which I was also delighted to win.
Twice being selected to represent England, once in Belfast and once in Norway, has been amazing, competing alongside great athletes and being helped by brilliant coaches.
Combining athletics with taking my GCSEs has at times been tough, but it all felt worthwhile this year when I was selected to represent Great Britain in the Heptathlon and the relay at the European Athletics Under 18 Championships in Slovakia, gaining fantastic experience in the Heptathlon and winning a bronze medal in the relay.
I am ranked #2 in the U.K. for Pentathlon in my first year as an under 20, so am really looking forward to , working with my coaches Yasmine Regis, Laura Turner-Alleyne and Garry Power next season as a second year under 20, where I am targeting the European Athletics Under 20 Championships in August in Finland.
I feel really lucky to be part of Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club, having the support of so many great coaches and team managers and getting the chance to compete at high-level competitions alongside amazing athletes and friends.
Written by Ava, September 2024
