Twin Ambitions - My Autobiography (40 page)

Winning my gold medal at the 1500 metres at the 1999 English Schools Championships in Bury St Edmunds.

Beating Malcolm Hassan on the way to the under-17s at Crystal Palace. There was a big rivalry between me and Malcolm, a phenomenal runner.

Me as a junior athlete with Dave Moorcroft. Many years later I broke his British record at 5000 metres.

Cycling alongside some of the older guys at Bushy Park.

Competing for Great Britain in the European Junior Championships in December 1999 in Slovenia. I helped the team to win gold.

Running cross country was a lot less fun when it was muddy and cold!

I reached the finals of the 5000 metres at the World Junior Athletics Championships in Chile. Here with Chris Thompson, one of my fierce rivals at junior cross country.

Sam Haughian had a reputation as one of the brightest prospects in British athletics – and the runner I looked up to the most as a junior.

I benefited a lot from training alongside guys like Benedict Whitby, the steeplechaser.

I made lots of good friends at Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow – among them Scott Overall.

One of my best mates, Darren Chin, in the 60 metres heats at the 2005 European Indoor Championships.

Before I shaved my head, I had plaits! Tania would often plait my hair for me after school.

Conrad Milton shouting encouragement from the sidelines. I used to watch him coaching guys like Sam Haughian and Benedict Whitby and think, ‘That’s where I need to be.’