Bolarinwa delighted with 2011 achievements
4:47pm Wednesday 30th November 2011 in Athletics
David Bolarinwa
By Richard Weston
THAMESMEAD sprinter David Bolarinwa brought the curtain down on his 2011 season in star-studded style by rubbing shoulders with Jess Ennis and Jenny Meadows at the UKA awards dinner in London on Saturday.
The 18-year-old was a guest at the season finale dinner as part of the Spar sprint stars programme, enjoying a night out with the great and the good of British athletics at the Park Plaza Westminster Hotel.
Bolarinwa enjoyed a successful season with victories in the100m and 200m at the U20 British championships to earn a plane ticket to Estonia for the European junior championships.
And despite leaving Tallinn clutching a 200m gold and 100m bronze, the teenager insists the best is yet to come.
“I think my year went very well and I achieved what I wanted to achieve,” said Bolarinwa.
“Winning the European junior 200m gold was a highlight of my season.
“Initially I wanted to do as well in the 100m but it didn’t happen.
“I felt I could have done better, run a lot quicker and that I could have won.
“I’m pretty excited about 2012, we’re going to get a couple of days to train at the Olympic Stadium but I’m just going to take things step by step.
“Learning to lose is the most important thing.
“I wish I could have told myself that two years ago.
“The pressure got to me a bit in 2010, but now the pressure has gone down a lot and I just can’t wait to see what next season has in store for me.”
As part of the Spar sprint stars programme Bolarinwa also enjoyed a trip to Paris to experience firsthand the world indoor championships in March.
And after getting up close and personal with the best senior athletes Britain has to offer, the former Ravens Wood School pupil admits he is chomping at the bit to get to the same level himself.
“Going to Paris was a wonderful experience, to see the big boys and see how senior athletics is,” Bolarinwa added.
“It taught me quite a lot in terms of how hard you have to train and the level you aspire to be at.”
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