THE cutting analysis and tough love come at the training track. And at the breakfast table too.
When Zoey Clark wants a word from her coach, she normally doesn’t even have to walk out her front door.
Once the Aberdonian decided to shake up her set-up after last summer’s Tokyo Olympics and part ways with Eddie McKenna, his replacement was staring her in the face – all the time. Ryan Oswald, her long-time boyfriend, was a decent sprinter in his time. Now their domestic life is meshed with preparing the world and European medallist to hit her stride.
“It's been going really well,” said Clark, who is set for her main medal shot at the world championships in tonight’s opening round of the 4x400m relay after exiting the mixed version at the first hurdle last weekend.
“Early on, there was definitely some teething problems just because it's difficult to change the dynamic from boyfriend and girlfriend to coach-athlete, especially when there's other people in the group.
“Sometimes I have to think about how I would speak to him, what's appropriate and what's not appropriate. But we should make a good team. We've been together for nine years so we should know how to work well together. And I think the success I've had this season shows that we do, but it is still my first year with a new coach.”
The 27-year-old was mightily disappointed with her sixth place at the British trials last month – relegating her to relay duty when she had hoped for an individual outing in Eugene when she lowered her personal best to 51.22 secs in Geneva in June – inside the qualifying mark.
Team events have been rich hunting ground though. Two global medals. Three at Europeans. Like her fellow Scots Eilidh Doyle and Lee McConnell, the 4x400 has provided opportunities to benefit from the UK’s strength in depth.
“I'm actually one of the most experienced on the team now, which is kind of fun,” Clark said. “I don't know when that happened. But I think I have shown that I am a reliable relay runner.
“There is a really strong team right now and it's great to see. There's seven of us all kind of at 51 seconds. And so we have a lot of strength in depth right now. So I'm going to go and every opportunity I get, I'm going to run my best. And hopefully that will mean that I'm in consideration for finals.”
