Track-and-field star Shannon Flockhart is rubbing shoulders with her heroes after racing Laura Muir at the British Athletics Championships last June.
The 22-year-old – singled out by charity SportsAid as an athlete with the potential to reach the very top – cites Muir as her sporting idol and placed second to the Scot in the qualifying event for the 1500m final before ultimately finishing seventh in the Manchester showpiece.
And while she may have missed out on a place atop the podium, Flockhart relished the experience of competing against the best and brightest of British athletics in what was an unforgettable debut entry into the UK-based championships.
The Cambridge runner said: “Laura was in my heat and it was surreal to line up next to her. It was amazing. I was scared I was going to trip her up or something in the final, so it was really living out your dreams!
“I spoke to her a little bit. She was the loveliest, most down-to-earth person so it was really cool.
“It was my first time racing at the British Championships so it was a really valuable experience to go back to in the future and it kind of put into perspective the work that needs to be done.
“The top 5 are a level above but hopefully it’s something I can aspire to reach.
Flockhart is one of 50 athletes supported by a partnership between SportsAid and Pitching In, a multimillion-pound grassroots sport programme established by Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral.
While the ultimate dream for the Cambridge star is to medal for Great Britain at an Olympic Games, the 22-year-old is no less dedicated to her passions off the field.
She recently finished an undergraduate degree in Political Science at Providence College in Rhode Island and is set to embark on a Masters in Education ahead of her final year of NCAA eligibility.
And with the finish line of her American odyssey finally in sight, Flockhart revealed her gratitude for all the opportunities that came her way while stateside.
She added: “It’s been great to be out in America, it’s brought me so many amazing opportunities and really helped me develop as an athlete.
“I’ve been to 22 out of the 50 states now, just purely from racing and training. The season revolves around getting to the NCAA Championships so I think I really learnt how to race tactically and how to get through championships.
“I’m constantly racing girls who are the very best in their own countries. There are a lot of internationals in the NCAA system so it really is the best of the best that we’re racing constantly and the facilities we have over there are amazing.”
Nominated SportsAid athletes like Flockhart are Great Britain's brightest sporting prospects. They are nominated to SportsAid by the national governing bodies of more than 60 sports based on set criteria from each.
The typical value of a SportsAid award is £1,000 with money generated through a combination of commercial partnerships, trust and charitable funds, and fundraising activities.
Flockhart said: “It’s been amazing actually. Being in America is great and all but then I come home, and you go from having everything to nothing, so SportsAid is just really important. It paid for me to get to the British champs, my hotel accommodation there so it’s really the backbone of these opportunities.
“It’s definitely hugely important for the younger generation to have access to and ensure that everyone gets the opportunity to fulfil their potential.”
Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, is proud to be championing the next generation of British sporting heroes by providing talented young athletes with financial support and personal development opportunities in partnership with SportsAid. Visit entaingroup.com to find out more.
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