Indienne King who has started her Kettering career in grand style has seen all her hard work rewarded with her first GB vest competing for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland U20 team for the highly prestigious Loughborough International on 23rd May.
The Loughborough International is an annual event where athletes from Loughborough University compete against selected teams from England, Scotland, Wales and GB Juniors, and it gives King a great chance to compete at the highest National level. The GB & NI Age group teams provide a fantastic opportunity to showcase athletes abilities on the international stage, whilst learning and further developing their key skills, abilities, and behaviours for future success in the performance pathway.
Brilliant oppertunity for 16 year old Indienne King
Indienne King made the brave decision to change her coach & join the Harriers Middle Distance Squad in December 2020 after attending some training sessions with the squad throughout 2020 to aid her development. This was a difficult transition but she has settled in remarkably well and has put in a terrific block of winter base training during the last lockdown with regular 1:1 training in preparation for the new track season. The hard work has paid off with a series of great opening races in 2021, her fastest ever opening 800m, followed by a win in the women’s 'C' race at the BMC Trafford Grand Prix and a new PB (2:10.60), and 4 days later a brilliant 2nd place at the BMC Birmingham University Gold Standard race which spawned another great PB of 2:09.15 which sits her 3rd in the UK rankings.
With UK No1, established GB athlete & European indoor 800m champion Keely Hodgekinson currently focused on obtaining an Olympic qualification time, and current UK No2 based in the USA, King was in poll position and her early season form fully justifies her selection.
Coach Shane Smith was delighted with Indie’s first track GB vest “Indienne has really adapted well to her new squad and training programme, and she has been working really hard to put behind the disappointment of the COVID affected 2020”. He added “She is a wonderful talent and competing at this level with raise her profile and drive her on towards her stretch target of a qualification time for the European U20's in Estonia in the summer. She undoubtedly has the potential to compete at this highest level”.
King who is located in Loughborough and attends Ratcliffe college in Ratcliffe on the Wreake was shocked with her call up but delighted to earn her first GB vest “When I was first put forward for consideration by my coach for this competition I had assumed this was for an England vest, so I am shocked that this was competing for the GB U20 Junior team” she added "I am tremendously excited to be competing for my country and perhaps a little nervous, but to be competing at this event at my local track is beyound my expectations for this season".
This caps a terrific few weeks for King who now looks to build on this and performing on her local track representing her country will be a new high point in her running career.
Congratulations to Indiennbe King and to coach Shane Smith.