Firstly of 2024, Matthew McKenna set himself a transparent however bold goal: to interrupt 1:53 for 800m by the yr’s finish. After a promising 1:56.40 private greatest in 2023, he felt it was a purpose nicely inside his attain.
What transpired over the next months exceeded even his personal expectations, nevertheless. By the point the season had drawn to a detailed, McKenna had written his identify into the historical past books with a blistering 1:46.84, making him the second-fastest under-18 800m runner in European historical past. Solely Max Burgin, with 1:45.36, stood forward of him.
And if that wasn’t sufficient, the 17-year-old additionally captured gold on the European Underneath-18 Championships.
The journey to that second began indoors on the Southern Underneath-20 Championships, the place McKenna kicked off his season with a victory in 1:55.78. It wasn’t simply the win that had an affect; it was the realisation that 2024 may very well be a breakthrough yr for him.
“The indoor season actually made my season,” says the AW British under-20 male athlete of the yr. “It gave me the arrogance enhance I wanted and it spurred me on as I believed: ‘Hold about, we are able to truly actually go for one thing right here’. It put me on a quick upward trajectory.”
Matthew McKenna (Graham Smith)
This new-found confidence propelled him again to his coaching base with Walton AC, the place he labored alongside coaches Jamie McLaughlin and Martin Norman to refine his plans for the season.
His journey into athletics had been unconventional – having taken up operating in Scotland throughout the pandemic, earlier than transferring down South. After being seen by his PE trainer, who was a member of Walton AC, McKenna bypassed the same old ready record to hitch the membership, the place he shortly turned an enormous a part of the group.
Because the outside season started, McKenna smashed his earlier private greatest on the prestigious Evening of the ten,000m PBs at Highgate with 1:50.97, securing a fourth place. That efficiency was additionally inside the European Underneath-18 Championship qualifying time.
“That race taught me rather a lot,” he provides. “I do know 1734794315 that I can deal with these nerves and that I can carry out in entrance of the crowds. I can race actually excessive degree athletes and never be phased by it. I may be that assured runner that I aspire to be.”
Matthew McKenna (Getty)
However earlier than he might take into consideration making the European staff, McKenna nonetheless had unfinished enterprise, with one other alternative for a quick time awaiting on the Watford BMC. On race day, he was the primary athlete to reach on the occasion, attending to the venue even earlier than the officers had completed establishing.
Because the race unfolded, McKenna discovered himself in good rhythm and clinched one more victory – in addition to one other private greatest – this time in 1:48.81.
“I don’t know what occurred,” he says. “That was among the finest emotions that I’ve ever had as an athlete and basically. It was a shock to see the time.”
These back-to-back PBs had been only the start. He was on a roll. After his record-breaking runs, he discovered himself getting ready for his largest job but: the European Underneath-18 Championships in Slovakia.
Having secured his spot on the staff, McKenna packed his first-ever GB vest with the data that this journey may very well be particular. He dominated each his warmth and semi-final, victories that stuffed him with confidence he wanted for the 800m closing.
Matthew McKenna [centre] (Getty)
“The warmth is what gave me my confidence, and it became this big upwards curve,” he continues. “I ran across the monitor on my own and nobody went with me so I felt tremendous robust. Going into the ultimate, I knew I needed that medal and I knew that I used to be in competition to get first.”
Within the closing, the race unfolded in a means that he hadn’t fairly anticipated: the pack was tight and the primary lap handed in 59 seconds. “I knew I needed to keep calm,” he recollects.
“When it’s 59 on the primary lap, you simply need to present the world what you are able to do however in the event you do this, there’s the chance of being overtaken within the final 20 metres.”
Within the closing 200m, McKenna discovered the power to surge forward, taking the lead and holding it to the road, clocking 1:52.91 to say his first main worldwide gold.
“I don’t suppose it has even sunk in now,” he admits. “The entire feelings balled up and I simply felt aid, an enormous weight taken off my shoulders. It was completely overwhelming. I used to be simply glad that I might replicate what my coaches have accomplished for me and the way my household has supported me.”
For many athletes, a European gold could be the top of the season, however McKenna wasn’t able to cease there. There was yet another race to go, one closing alternative to push himself additional. He returned to Watford for an additional BMC assembly and the monitor that had already been sort to him. The end result was one other leap ahead and that aforementioned 1:46.84.
“I didn’t realise I had run 1:46 after I crossed the road. After the race I used to be ready with my mum and ready for my time to pop up on the display screen. I believe I screamed after I noticed 1:46 – Watford has positively been good for me.”
Whereas it could appear to be his rise to the highest has been speedy, McKenna sees it as extra of a gradual, regular development.
“There was no time the place I did a session and thought I used to be bionic,” he says. “I used to be simply pushing myself each session and I used to be all the time getting that little bit higher. You don’t discover it while you’re doing it however you possibly can see the seconds starting to return off, which has shocked me. I didn’t actually have a pivotal second, it has all the time simply been a gradual climb.
“I’m now on the high and I’m considering: ‘How can I keep it, higher myself and get into these elite races?’”
Because the winter season begins, McKenna is already setting his sights on new challenges. Along with his eyes on breaking much more data, he’s gearing up for an additional indoor season that guarantees to check his limits. If 2024 is something to go by, we’ll be listening to much more about him within the years to return.
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