Quality and quantity for rising sprint star Amber Anning

The US-based Briton faced a relentless schedule that saw her run more than 40 times before even arriving at the Olympics, but that didn’t stop her from breaking the British 400m record and return from Paris with two medals.

An athlete trying to peak at the right time requires a careful balance between science and art. Convention dictates that they are not likely to burn out before the big day.

Of Britain’s five 400m representatives at the Paris Olympics, four had previously run between eight and 22 times during the calendar year. The demands placed on American college athletes make such numerical limitation difficult, so Amber Anning, Britain’s fifth-ranked 400m runner, did not have that luxury.

Upon arrival in the French capital, Anning had already run more than 40 races in 2024, ranging from 4x100m to 800m. This made it all the more remarkable that she came away with two Olympic bronze medals and was part of an elite group (alongside Mary Rand) of British women to break three British records in a single Games. In fact, she reflects now, her stress in Paris didn’t even compare to running around in her University of Arkansas jacket two months earlier.

“I honestly didn’t even think about the Olympics during my college season,” Anning, 24, said. “I mentally divided the year to avoid putting pressure on myself.

“I was actually more nervous for the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) finals than I was for the Olympics because there was so much pressure on my team to complete this ‘super sweep’ (where Anning was a part of of the top four in Arkansas). winning the 4x400m and breaking the collegiate record. It was so intense. By the time the Olympics rolled around, I felt like I had already competed at such a high level.

For those without personal experience of American collegiate sports, it may seem bizarre to compare a college competition with the undisputed pinnacle of athletics. But after ensuring that every aspect of her life—from diet to sleep to food to friendships—helped her run, Anning was confident about how things would work out in Paris. .

Her Olympic Games were marked by bronze medals in the mixed and women’s 4x400m. The relay sandwich was completed by a national record of 49.29 in the individual 400m – bettering the mark set by her mentor, two-time Olympic and two-time world champion Christine Ohuruogu – who narrowly missed the podium.

“I was a little disappointed because I knew the part of the race where I let him slip away,” Anning said. “When I saw I was going to set a national record, I was still frustrated, but you have to get the victory. If I couldn’t get a medal, I wanted a national record, so I achieved one of my goals. I wanted more, but I set my sights on Los Angeles (2028 Olympics). I know what I need to change over the next four years.

It was a far cry from the situation she found herself in three summers earlier: the year of the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games. In January of that year, midway through his sophomore year at Louisiana State University (LSU), Anning’s UK coach, Lloyd Cowan, died. “It hit me really hard,” she said.

On the track, the upward trajectory of a Commonwealth Youth and European Under-20 medalist was frustratingly beginning to level off, eventually leading to a move across state borders to the neighboring Arkansas.

“I didn’t really like college athletics,” she admits. “I really struggled and injuries played a part. I was underperforming and I didn’t understand why because I was always training hard but I was inconsistent.

“I went to the Tokyo Olympic trials and came dead last in the final, but didn’t make the team. All the other participants in this final were chosen except me, which caused a lot of emotion.

“To reignite my love for the sport, I knew I needed a change of environment, a fresh start in a new place. At LSU, my happiness was so tied to my performance. Losing was something I wasn’t used to and it really affected me mentally.

“As I moved to Arkansas, I began to accept being beaten more. I realized there were faster girls and I wanted to compete with them. It was about improving my game to reach their level because I knew I had the talent to do it.

“I was the only woman to run the 400 at LSU and I needed more female training partners. I knew Arkansas had a strong cohort of 400m runners, which was the step I needed to get my times down.

“As much as I loved LSU, it was a big school and I had a hard time staying focused with so much going on. Arkansas is quieter and I needed a change of environment to stop the partying! »

After graduating with a degree in public relations and advertising this summer, she is now back in Fayetteville for the first time as a full-fledged Nike-sponsored professional. Although her training group has changed – she now works alongside fellow Olympians and professionals Shamier Little, Nickisha Pryce and Shafiqua Maloney – the daily structure remains the same under the direction of her collegiate coach Chris Johnson. The end of student life also means no longer having to represent your university week after week.

“It’s going to take an adjustment,” says Anning. “Patience will be key since I will be running less, which means there will be fewer opportunities to accomplish what I need to do. But every step is a building block towards my goal in Tokyo (World Championships) next year.

Anning is busy learning to drive and plans to fill her new free time by reading and following fellow Olympian Tom Daley into the world of crochet: “It will be nice to come home from training without worrying about an assignment due 10 p.m..”

On the track, she may well attempt more 200m races this winter after breaking Katharine Merry’s national indoor 200m record earlier this year, which existed before Anning was born. The main goal is to win an individual 400m medal at the World Championships in September, and she believes staying on the other side of the Atlantic is the best way to achieve that.

“Before coming to America, my plan was to return to Lloyd after graduation, but with his death and the success I experienced under Coach Johnson, it makes no sense to change environments “, she explains.

“I came here for a reason. I have accomplished so much and there is still so much to accomplish. If I could have had this Arkansas facility in the UK, as well as good weather, I would never have left, because there is so much about British culture that I miss. I would also like to be able to see my family and friends more often. But I’m happy to be back here.

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