OWEN Merrett is about to embark on the next stage of his career as an athlete by moving to Loughborough University.
The 18-year-old Yate & District AC hammer thrower has just returned from making his international overseas debut at the World Junior Championships in Colombia, where he threw a personal best of 70.50m.
It was Merrett’s first throw over 70 metres and while he couldn’t do any more than that it was, sadly, not enough to get him a place in the 12-man final as he ranked 15th best in the qualifying.
Nonetheless, the PB throw more than repaid the decision of the GB selectors to pick him and earned him further praise from his coach Matt Spicer.
“I have watched Owen progress over the last seven years from an U13 athlete with a PB of 20.45m to an international athlete competing at a World Championships,” said Spicer.
“In the weeks leading up to the championships, I kept telling him ‘nothing to prove and nothing to lose’, as in a very strange way, there wasn’t really any pressure on him.
“He was now a small fish in a big pond where nobody was expecting much of him. I just didn’t want any anxiety to creep in and for him to tighten up. We knew he could throw better when relaxed.
“During the competition I was being fed videos from ex-Olympian Robert Weir and Team Manager Stuart Carlaw, which is just as well, as the YouTube live stream stubbornly never left the men’s decathlon pole vault!
“I was able to relay messages, but in all honestly there was nothing much I could have done to help him.”
Having to cope on his own will prove to be a great learning experience for Merrett and the fact that he produced the best throw of his life when it mattered most will have bene noted.
“Looking forward, Owen should be on his way to Loughborough University later this year and from a hammer throw perspective he will be coached by John Pearson, who in my opinion is one of the best in the land,” added Spicer.
“If he manages to keep improving at the same rate, I really wouldn’t be surprised to see him medal at next year’s U20 European Championships in Cluj, Romania. Hopefully alongside Yate team mate Luke Ball.
“I think his is an underdog story. Owen doesn’t have your atypical hammer thrower stature and people used to look at him and write him off.
“Now he provides hope that anything is possible.”