GB: Student sprintete Bus hinterher und wurde von Talentscout entdeckt

Der 23-jährige Jeffrey Lawal Balogun hätte wohl nicht erwartet, dass ihm eine großartige Leichtathletikkarriere bevorstünde, als er vor vier Jahren einem Bus hinterher rannte. Dabei wollte er nur pünktlich am College erscheinen.

Ein Talentscout beobachtete dabei Balogun bei seiner Sprintaktion und sprach ihn daraufhin an. Nun ist der Brite über die Distanz von 60 Metern der Sechstschnellste in England. Sein großes Ziel sind die Olympischen Spiele 2012 in London.

Nun bedauert er es, nicht früher mit Leichtathletik begonnen zu haben. Den Bus, den er vor vier Jahre verfolgte, konnte Balogun jedoch nicht mehr einholen. Trotzdem reichte es für eine Karriere als Sportler.


ORIGINAL:


Olympic hopeful's sprint talent spotted in bus chase
A young sprinter is on the edge of Britain's Olympic team - after a talent scout spotted him running for a bus.

Jeffrey Lawal Balogun, 23, had no thoughts of an athletics career when he chased after the 28 bus in Bromley Kent to be on time for college four years ago.

But his natural pace was noticed by a coach from a local track and field club who happened to be walking along the street.

She approached Balogun and put him in touch with Clarence Callender, one of Britain's leading sprinting coaches.

With his help, the runner is now ranked sixth in the country over 60 metres and hopes to compete at the London 2012 Olympics.

"I always knew that I was fast, but I didn't really know how to get into running, " he told the Daily Mirror.

"Then one day I was on my way to college and had to run after the bus. I must have been quite fast because a girl came up to me afterwards and asked if I ran with a club."

"The ultimate goal has to be the Olympics. To win a medal would be the best feeling ever. I just wish I'd started earlier."

Balogun, who now lives in Mottingham, South London, added: "I never thought running after a bus would lead to all this. And the funny thing is, I missed it."