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The Standard’s young athletes to watch as London's three-year countdown begins
27 Jul 2009Perri Shakes Drayton
Age: 20
Event: 400m Hurdles
Perri has lived in east London her whole life and, with the Olympic Park on her doorstep, she is inspired to run faster and train harder every day.
With gold medals at the England Under-20 Championships in 2006 when she was 17 and at the senior UKA National Championships last year in Birmingham, she seems destined for Olympic success.
“I have seen the stadium go up as it is just two minutes from my house. If that's not motivation, I don't know what is,” said Perri, from Bow.
“I train five times a week and do two-hour sessions and plan to step it up every year until 2012.
As the games approach I will be looking to extend my training time to two sessions a day and reduce my recovery time.
“This will be my first Olympics and I just want to get a medal. I will put everything I have into achieving it.”
Steph Twell
Age: 19
Event: 1,500m
Having run faster than Paula Radcliffe did as a teenager, Steph is one of the great British hopes for success at the London Olympics.
She has been training and working towards her goal since the age of nine and wears a London 2012 badge every day to keep herself focused.
"I train twice a day, five days a week, and will be stepping up the training in the lead up to the Games," she said.
"I hope to make the final as winning a medal in London in front of the home crowd would be so amazing.
"I hope to go to a few major championships before 2012 to improve my running, but I'm seeing year-on-year progression so I am confident about success at the Olympics."
Olympic 1,500m silver medallist Steve Cram said of Steph: "Ultimately, distance running is about an individual's sheer bloody-mindedness to succeed. Steph Twell might just be obsessed enough to do it."
Marilyn Okoro
Age: 24
Event: 800m, 4x400m Relay
Marilyn started out as a sprinter and is still a key member of the 4x400m relay, but she has eyes firmly set on the 800m and the chance to emulate her hero, double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes.
"I train two to three times a day, six days a week, for a total of around five hours each day," said Marilyn, from Harlesden.
"I went to the track for the first time at the age of 12 and it's my dream to win gold. I will be 27 by the time the games come round and they say that is the prime age for 800m running.
"On average I am running faster this year compared to last year and I hope to see this pattern continue until 2012.
"I am focused and even more motivated by the prospect of competing in the Olympics with the whole country behind me."
Zoe Smith
Age: 15
Event: Weightlifting
The schoolgirl from Abbey Wood has been tipped as a potential star for the London Olympics after being named as a British Olympic Association Athlete of the Year for 2008.
She also set a world record for her age and bodyweight by lifting a total of 159kg in three events and broke 98 British records last year.
The one-time gymnast - who took up weightlifting when she was 12 after coaches identified her strength - will still be one of the youngest competitors in her sport in three years.
Zoe, who is studying for her GCSEs at Townley Grammar School in Bexleyheath, said: "I am realistic enough to know that if I do get the chance to compete that making it on to the podium is quite unlikely.
"I will only be 18 and am likely to be one of the youngest competitors - the others could be at least 10 years older than me and at the peak of their careers while I will still be at the beginning of mine.
"It may be in Olympics to come that I get my chance for glory and although it is going to be a long journey, it is one that I am prepared to commit to."
