After a successful season of athletics came to an end late last month, emerging MMU sports star Chris Perry exceeded all expectation – overcoming all obstacles and breaking records along the way to cement himself as one of the universities top sporting prospects.<\/p>\n
University sports star Perry is on track for big things in the coming season, with PB\u2019s aplenty at his most recent track event. As Greater Manchester plunge into Tier 3 lockdown, I spoke to Chris via Zoom to reflect on his recent success and aspirations for the future within the sport.<\/p>\n
Upon being asked, \u2018Why hurdling?\u2019 Chris laughed, before saying: \u201cIt\u2019s a long story. I remember Christmas in 2017, I was training with Exeter Harriers in 100 – 200m sprint groups and I encountered some problems. Things were said amongst a group that were falling out socially \u2013 there were characters I would never associate with nowadays, as a result I wasn\u2019t getting any progress. These things happen though, in every aspect of life.<\/p>\n
“Not just sport.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eager for change, remarkably Chris left the group and went solo to form a one-man hurdling team \u2013 only joined by emerging junior athletes months later.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I became the hurdles group. For a couple of months anyway, then a few juniors moved up and others came, there was only ever 5 of us at a training session! It was great because I was one on one with the coach in personally directed training sessions, but I knew I need a change to get to where I am now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Frustrating injuries in 2018 ruled Chris out for 7 weeks – missing several races at a crucial time in his athletic development, but the Exeter-born 20 year old showed burning desires for success once more by switching to the 400m hurdles – a longer, dynamic race suiting a style Perry is accustom to running.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the topic, Chris claimed: \u201cWe hit a brick wall with the 110m. In my opinion it\u2019s the most technical event in athletics. Going into a season with an injury in such a technical event, the risks would have just put me an extra year behind.\u201d<\/p>\n
Post injury, with 2018\u2019s South West Championships just a few weeks away, Chris knew he needed to be there.<\/p>\n
He just didn\u2019t know how.<\/p>\n
After scrolling through the events entry page in search of a race, he hit the jackpot.<\/p>\n
\u201c3 weeks before the competition, I get to the 110m hurdles and I\u2019m like, I could try that. Then I get to the 400m hurdles. I didn\u2019t even know it was an event at the time!<\/p>\n
I had a quick google\u2026 lower hurdles, more distance in between them. I\u2019ve ran a 400m before, so why not put some barriers in the way?<\/p>\n
I asked my coach whether I could give the race a go and he gave in eventually, essentially it was me blagging my way into the Championships \u2013 but I\u2019ve got the county vest because of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now studying and training in Manchester alongside Head Coach Steve Green as part of the athletics team at MMU, Perry\u2019s performance has excelled in recent months \u2013 like in late September, when he smashed his personal best in the 400m hurdles with a stunning time of 59.1 seconds at the last Trafford AC meet.<\/p>\n
On the topic, Chris was quick to highlight his adaptation in training in light of local lockdowns, saying: \u201cI\u2019m quite lucky in the sense that I\u2019m still able to train, my area wasn\u2019t too badly affected by it. Around 2 months into COVID training I found some bamboo sticks in the garden, I had some electric tape and I got to work on some makeshift hurdles.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a time of ingenuity and improvisation in the sport, across every sport really.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alongside hours of tireless training sessions and undoubted self sacrifice, Perry was quick to credit the support provided by Coach Green and the university with his ever-growing improvements. He stated: \u201cGiven all the choices I had, I definitely made the right one going to MMU. Nowhere is below you, but sometimes an athlete just doesn\u2019t have the right set up to grow. I needed that.<\/p>\n
“Most importantly though, I feel like I\u2019ve found the right coach and system to help me improve and develop within the world of athletics. I\u2019m not a scholar yet, but I emphasise the point yet. It\u2019s something I definitely want to get onto in the next year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aside from his athletic duties, Chris is developing his skills as a public speaker and podcaster.<\/p>\n
His series entitled \u2018ThatVoiceintheCrowd\u2019 is available via YouTube, and touches on a variety of topics \u2013 such as mental health issues in sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a good distraction from work and training. It\u2019s really catering to a creative side that I\u2019ve only recently found. Everything from the website, the editing, sound and production, it\u2019s all me.\u201d<\/p>\n