News

Kimberley’s helping hands

(24 October 2005)

Durham University heptathlon student is in good hands after returning to the region early from her home in Guernsey.

Kimberley Goodall, 22, who competes for Gateshead Harriers, is being mentored by two of the North East’s most experienced athletic figures.

She participated in the heptathlon at the last Commonwealth Games held in Manchester, is being guided by Peter Stanley and Jared Deacon as she seeks to find the form which earned her recognition internationally.

"I love it here - that's why I came back three weeks before term started," said Kimberley, who is finishing off her Economics degree.

Despite her huge talent for multi-eventing, Kimberley plans to focus mainly on the long jump hence the link up with Stanley, whose charges include Chris Tomlinson after the retirement of Jonathan Edwards.

"I have the best of both worlds training with Peter and Jared. Naturally, Peter looks after the technical side of long jumping while Jared's input is on speed work and working out on the weights.”

Kimberley had high hopes of making next year's Commonwealth Games in Australia, but in the end fell well short of the qualifying mark. "I really enjoyed myself in Manchester and it would have been nice if I'd managed to get to Melbourne but it wasn't to be," she said.

Goodall ended her summer season by competing for Guernsey in the Small Islands Games winning both the long jump and 400 metres. She plans to compete indoors during the winter, targeting a BUSA medal, and will then aim for a good outdoor campaign, hopefully helping Gateshead earn a place in the UK Women's League.

"I want to come back to the North East after graduating, providing I can get fixed up with a job, so that would mean I can continue training with Jared and Peter as well as competing for Gateshead in the future."

Source: The Evening Chronicle, 20 October 2005