DUKA Athlete Dynamic Doug wins Scottish Schools Championships
07 August 2004
Just when we wondered when and where the next Seb Coe will emerge, dynamic 16 year old Doug appeared not only from Glasgow, but from the exciting 'world' of Deaf UK Athletics! It has been years since GB deaf athletics has seen such a talented middle distance runner at such a tender age. Doug is already proving to be a huge talent.
He has won several races for his school, club and county and holds several records. He can fly over any distances between 200m and 1500m, but his main loves are the 800m and 1,500m - just like Seb Coe. People are already comparing him to two of Great Britain's most successful middle male distance runners - the deaf Richard Pearce and the multiple world record-holder Lord Sebastian Coe!
On Wednesday 9th June, at the Glasgow Schools Athletics Championships at Scotstown Stadium, Douglas successfully defended the 800m title in had won the previous year. Doug decided before the race that he was going to 'bomb it' round the first lap then take it easy as possible for the final lap.
As soon as the gun went, he shot off into the lead and burned off the opposition. When he crossed the line at the end of the first lap, he saw that he had covered it in 59 seconds and began to relax. With 200m to go, Doug looked back and saw an opponent gaining slightly on him, so he picked up the pace once more until about 20m to go when he knew the race was safe and basically walked over the line.
His winning time of 2:06 easily booked him a place in the final. Two days later and it was the Scottish Schools Championships where he was going for a unique double of the 800m and 1500m Steeplechase. With his confidence sky high, Doug powered into the lead in the 1500m S/C, running comfortably and hurdling smoothly as soon as the gun went. With 200m to go, he had enough confidence to look back.
There was no one anywhere near him and he eased up as he crossed the line in a new PB of 4:45 in the 1500m hurdle - with the 2nd athlete a massive 14 seconds gap away in 4:59. Doug was elated to become Scottish Schools' champion - which ranked him no1 in Scotland and pushed him in the top 15 of Britain. What an achievement!
The very next day he was back at Grangemouth to run the 800m. He comments about the 800m; "feeling no pressure at all after all that I had achieved the previous day.
I was drawn in the third heat which was to be the toughest, I watched the first two heats which were won in times of 2:01 and 2:02, then got ready to run. When the gun went I started at what I thought was a good pace only to find myself in 6th place after 100m. I had to raise my pace to get into 4th place, the first 3 I thought were going too fast so I let them go slightly"
With all the runner eager to win this metric mile event, they went through the line on 57/58 with Doug trailing in 61secs which met he had a lot of catching up to do. With about 300m to go, he put the boot down and with 100m to the line Doug managed to take 3rd place which got him into the 800m final. How did he feel? "I was shocked when I found out my time was 1:59 which meant that I had covered the last 400m in 57secs. I felt as though a great weight had been lifted off my shoulders as I had finally broken through the 2 minute barrier" and booked himself a seat in the plane to Melbourne, Australia for the Deaflympics in January 2005.
Unfortunately, it was less than 4 hours later before the 800m final and after 500m, he pulled out after "finding myself with nothing left in the tank. I was still pleased with my week though, I'll be looking for a new steeplechase PB at the British Schools when I will gain my first Scottish vest and also to bring my 800m PB down to about 1:56/57 by the end of the season which I feel is well within my grasp"
A few days later got the letter he wanted so much, an invitation to join the Scottish squad for the British Schools in July. Life couldn't get much better but it took a slight turn for the worse when on Wednesday 16th June, Douglas was involved in a road traffic accident crossing the road outside of his house as a fleet of taxis ferried needy children on their annual trip to the coast.
Douglas saw a gap in the traffic which was travelling at low speed and went for it at pace. He didn't see the Police motorcyclist coming up outside the taxis until it was too late. Fortunately he escaped with scrapes and bruises together with the shock that comes with an incident of this type.
A family holiday in Turkey saw Douglas back running early in the morning as it reached 45 degrees celcius later in the day. On his return to the UK he had little time for rest as he travelled to Chelmsford for the British Schools Championships where he put in a good performance. The last weekend in July saw Douglas and his club, Giffnock North AAC, win the Young Athletes League and a place in the British Finals, early in September.
Douglas ran the 400m Hurdles, 800m,1500m and the 4 x 400m Relay that day, winning bronze in the 1500m and Relay, with silver in the 800m, helping his team to the final for the first time in 3 years. It will surely not be long before he once again savours success.
DUKA wishes this Superboy all the best in with his athletics. No doubt it is only a few years away before he represents GB hearing team in international competitions.
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