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Gareth Fullerton

Co Down teen overcomes spinal injury to chase down Ulster Rugby star's records

Jamie Moffatt - remember the name.

The 16-year-old has been competing in athletics for just two years but has already clocked a sub 11-second 100m and recently broke the Irish National Juvenile U18 Indoor Championships 60m record with a time of 6.86 seconds.

His time was only two hundredths of a second off the Irish Under 18 record.

Read more: Derry GAA respond to claims Rory Gallagher attended Ulster final celebrations

The Bangor teenager's ascent is all the more incredible considering he suffered a Pars fracture in his spine when he was 13.

Doctors put it down to growing too quickly, but the condition left Jamie having to wear a Boston brace for over a year.

"That had me out of any physical activity for over a year. I was Year 8 at Bangor Grammar School when it happened," Jamie told Belfast Live.

"It was a significant thing to overcome, physically and mentally. I had it in my head that any injury would be detrimental to my career.

"I have picked up a few injuries since then, but nothing as bad as that. And I now know I can overcome any adversity.

"It was just down to growing too quickly. The doctors couldn't pin-point it to anything specific. It was in my L5 in my back.

"It obviously restricted my movement and mobility for a year. I had to sit out PE in school and everything else."

He added: "Now I am back training and competing. I train five or six days a week, and that would be a mix of gym work with Ramey Adams at Fortius Gym. He is an ex-Great Britain athlete in the 800m.

Jamie Moffatt is been in superb form this season, clocking a personal best 100m time of 10.91 (Kirk Moffatt)

"He has been looking after me and trains me for the weight-lifting sessions. So I would be with him twice a week, and three times at Bangor Sportsplex track with my coach Roger Sexton.

"It is a mix of everything, but it is a hectic week."

Jamie - a member of North Down Athletics Club - credits a lot of his recent success to the work of track coach Sexton, who is the father of Ulster Rugby winger Aaron Sexton.

Aaron still holds the Irish Schools' records for both the 100m and 200m, times that young Jamie has his eye on.

He said: "Aaron is a flying machine. He holds all the Irish School records, which I am looking forward to trying to beat next year.

"I am Lower Sixth at school, and he set them when he was in Upper Sixth. So it might be possible.

"He holds the Irish Schools' record for 100m and 200m. I think his 100m record is around 10:43 secs, so it is something to aim for.

"Roger has been great. I am clocking personal bests nearly every time I run at the minute.

Ulster Rugby's Aaron Sexton holds the Irish School's records for 100m and 200m (INPHO/Tom Maher)

"If I had to describe my performance curve, it has always been increasing. I know at some point it will level off, but at the minute I am enjoying the progress.

"Having Roger coach me is a big plus. I would say he is one of the best coaches in the country for sprinting.

"He knows everything there is to know. And has been improving every tiny imperfection in my sprinting, and every flaw.

"And now it is down to the very fine details. When I started training I had a very unique, natural running style which didn't suit sprinting.

"So he stripped me back to the basics and it has helped make me the sprinter I am now. My personal best is 10.91 seconds, I have ran that twice now.

"I feel there is much more to come. I would love to finish the season in or around 10.80 or the high 10.70s. I am only 16, and everyone I compete against has been running for most of their lives.

"This is relatively new to me. I have only had about three years' training in sprinting.

"I started training about three years ago and have been competing for two. My mates got me into it.

"They just said I should come down and try out at the athletics club. So I went down and realised that I was kind of fast. I was half decent at it."

Jamie admits his form this season has "skyrocketed".

"It has been a whole new experience, and is down to various reasons. Things like gym work, training right, nutrition," he said.

"But I think the main thing has been the change in mindset. I spoke to the sports psychologist and she gave me lots of useful information and told me about the self-fulfilling prophecy.

"If you believe in something so much, it does come true. A lot of sports people use this technique.

"The best feeling about being a sprinter is being on that podium after a race. It sounds a bit egocentric and I don't want to come across that way, but that victory is the result of your hard work paying off.

"And you are going up against these other athletes who want to beat you, so any victory is special. You come across the top guys quite a lot.

Jamie Moffatt heading for victory (Kirk Moffatt)

"The worst part of athletics is the injuries. And sprinting puts a lot of strain on your body.

"There is so much pressure going on your legs, and your ankles, Achilles and whatever else can't take it. And the rehab is tough too.

"Physio can be a painful thing, and people don't realise that. To prevent injury I have to go to physio quite frequently."

Jamie admits combining his school life with athletics can be a tricky juggling act at times, but he is learning how to cope with the demands.

"I am Lower Sixth so I am doing my AS Levels. I find it a real struggle to juggle my school work with eating, training and competing as an athlete," he said.

"It is quite difficult, but I think I am coping okay. I had two exams today and they seemed to go well.

"I am studying PE, Biology and Geography. I would like to become a physio.

"Education is important."

Next up for Jamie is this weekend's Ulster Schools' Championships being held at the Antrim Forum.

The teenager's sprint races are being held on Saturday.

He added: "It will be a tough competition but I can't wait. These are the events you train for so you try and put everything you have worked on into the race.

"I enjoy these pressure moments and thrive on them, so hopefully I can run well this weekend."

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