Twell in pole position to gain early advantage

Saturday 23 March 2013

The status of the world cross country championships has diminished in recent years, with Mo Farah and Freya Ross among those who will be absent when this year's event unfolds in the Polish city of Bydgoszcz tomorrow.

Scotland's Steph Twell is returning to her best form. Picture: SNS

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Mark Woods

Participant numbers at senior level are half of what they were a decade ago with France and Russia among the countries who have failed to enter teams. However, the new man in charge of distance running at UK Athletics believes shunning the championships is an opportunity missed for runners to ready themselves in winter for the summer's greatest tests.

Terrence Mahon, lured from the United States after the London Olympics, will lead a 24-strong British team that includes Steph Twell. It marks a return to global competition for the Scot, who finally resembles her old self again after breaking a foot two years ago.Twell has always seen immense value in cross country, yet with few financial rewards, and success having no impact on an athlete's worthiness for Lottery funding, it has been increasingly marginalised."I think it fits in the same way as an indoor season fits in," Mahon says. "For us, from the top down, it always depends on the world championships and Olympics, all the outdoor events."Something like cross- country is there to help build and develop the athlete's competitive strengths and give them some world class experience. Cross country is well suited to our athletes who are going to be our great five and 10 kilometre runners or eventually pushing towards the marathon."Bydgoszcz will certainly test Britain's best. Africa's dominance should remain unchallenged but the expected sub-zero conditions could leave some contenders out in the cold. Twell will have a key role in the senior women's challenge for a team medal, although her younger training partner Emilia Gorecka is the lone individual hope. The event, claims Mahon, is the ultimate proving ground. He explained: "I've said before that world cross is probably the hardest race to win, so people who perform really well at cross country are phenomenal."At his new base in Loughborough, Mahon maintains a hands-on coaching role with a number of athletes, including 800 metres runner Lynsey Sharp, who has relocated from Edinburgh to join his group.He has also charged himself with improving scientific and medical support for his athletes. "Someone like Steph can be tested to see how she's looking mechanically and we can give that information back to her coach," he says. That back-up, he adds, could help Twell fulfil her potential in Rio 2016 or Glasgow next year. "If you look at where we are in the 5000m, she's one of the few people right now who are competitive and who have broken 15 minutes. She's on the radar as someone who has the potential to be world class, so we'll try to nurture and develop her as far as we can."

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Twell in pole position to gain early advantage

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