Alex Wharfe is one of the club's up and coming decathletes. Her he tells us his future ambitions, plans for the future, what he's most proud of and who is athletics hero is.
Have you won any titles or been selected for county teams or major events?
I have been selected to compete for Kent and now the south east. I have been to English schools for hurdles at under 15 boys and English schools combined events competing in pentathlon. Won Kent indoor and outdoor champs medals and south of England championships medals.
How did you get into the sport?
My school PE teachers suggested that I should try to take up athletics, so I contacted Medway and Maidstone and got hold of Chris Bowman.
Who is your coach?
Chris Bowman
How often do you train?
4 - 5 times a week
What is your favourite training session?
Speed Endurance because afterwards you really feel like you have worked hard because you are usually near being sick.
What is your proudest moment or biggest achievement in the sport?
My proudest moment in the sport was when I got selected to train with Daley Thompson for a day at lee valley, and my biggest achievement would have to be getting through to the final of the 80mhurdles at English schools and coming fourth.
What are your current aims and targets?
Stay injury free (broke my leg last year and metatarsal year before), get a respectable score for decathlon in my first year of under 20’s, and to reach English schools for sprint hurdles.
What are your long term aims and targets?
Reach GB squad for decathlon and then hopefully compete in the commonwealth games in 2014
Who is your athletics hero?
Daley Thompson because he is such an inspiration, the way he competed and trained, how he always came back with a positive attitude if something went wrong and how he also always tried to improve himself. I am so lucky that I got selected to be trained by my hero for a day which was truly amazing.
What do you enjoy doing away from athletics?
I enjoy doing extreme sports and also play in a band playing the bass guitar. I enjoy relaxing with my mates and just chillaxin.
What is your job or what are you studying?
I currently don’t have a job and I am in year 12 at Fulston manor school studying human biology, Sports studies, History and Art all at a level.
Do any of your family compete in the sport?
No they don’t.
Who is your best friend in the sport?
I get along with most people in the club and have a laugh, but most of my time is spent with Mark Cryer who is my training partner, James Alcock we just end up always laughing at each other somehow and the person who I started training with and always had a laugh with Martin Brockman.
Anything else you would like to add?????
Keep a good positive attitude and always try to improve, listen to your coach because most of the time they are right and they will make sure you go in the right direction get the best out of you, and don’t forget to enjoy what you are doing.