Bexhill boy takes on nation’s finest

Andrew Woods will join more than 750 of Britain’s best athletes, including Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis and Phillips Idowu, going head-to-head for selection for this summer’s Olympic Games.

Woods, who was brought up in Bexhill and still pops back to train during his holidays from university, will contest the men’s 800m in the Aviva 2012 Trials and Championships at the Birmingham Alexander Stadium this weekend.

A former pupil at Little Common School, St Richard’s Catholic College and Bexhill College, Woods booked his place by producing a tremendous performance to win the British Milers’ Club Grand Prix in Watford on Saturday June 9.

His time of 1:50.39 was more than a second quicker than his previous personal best of 1:51.46 in the British Student Championships and, crucially, was inside the qualifying standard to get an invite for the trials of 1:50.5.

That was despite his training having to take a back seat because of exams which left the 21-year-old, who is coached by Keith Brackstone, wondering if he would be able to make the qualifying mark.

Woods, who has recently completed his finals at Bristol University, has consistently pulled off personal bests over the past few weeks and took the bronze medal in last weekend’s England Under-23 Championships.

The men’s 800m heats are scheduled to take place from 3.20pm tomorrow (Saturday) with the leading competitors advancing to the final shortly after 6.30pm on Sunday.

See Friday’s Bexhill Observer for the full article.