Advertisement

Pawlett determined to learn from world championship debut

Pawlett determined to learn from world championship debut

By James Reid in Glasgow

Abigail Pawlett vowed to learn plenty from her major championships debut after a ninth-place finish in the pentathlon at the World Athletics Indoor Championships.

Pawlett was a late addition to the squad after impressing over the 60m hurdles at the UK Indoor Championships less than two weeks ago and admitted simply competing was a victory in itself.

The 21-year-old impressed across the five events in Glasgow, missing out on a long jump personal best by just two centimetres and clocking the third-quickest time in the 60m hurdles.

And the Chester-born athlete is determined to soak up as much as she can from the experience ahead of a potential tilt at qualifying for the European Athletics Championships in Rome this summer.

"I’m just grateful to be here. I didn’t expect it, it wasn’t in my competition plans so just to be here and competing, I’m buzzing," she said.

"We always said, if I went it would be a bonus. I have done more multi-events in the past two months than in the past two years, so that entire experience has been a learning curve in itself.

"I have competed here all through under-15s, under-17s, so Glasgow is a bit of a home from home for me

"The fact that it was here added a little comfort and helped me get my head around it. I am definitely going to take a lot from it."

Pawlett looked well-placed after the opening two events of the 60m hurdles and high jump, but admitted she was disappointed with her shot put distance of 12.95m.

But the Stockport Harriers athlete resolved it is all part of the learning experience, including learning to hone the big crowds to her advantage.

"It is incredible, the home crowd," she added.

"My coach sat me down last night and said you need to prepare yourself, he said ‘it’s going to be big’ and it really was.

"It got me over some bars in the high jump, it was incredible. Just learning from these girls, it is an experience I am very grateful for.

"There was a lot of people in the crowd I know but I tried to not let myself get distracted by saying hi to everyone and just focus on the competition.

"It definitely adds pressure, I think that’s what went wrong in the shot put, my nerves got the better of me.

"I had a few solid events and a few disappointments. I am really proud of myself with how I was able to bounce back from those disappointments, it could have gone one of two ways.

"I took my time, got upset, had a nap and then got myself back together."

The world’s best athletes head to Scotland for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 from 1-3 March and you can keep up to date with the latest on the World Athletics website, its associated platforms and via broadcasters around the world.