Exclusive by Owen Morgan
Steve Cram has described Welsh teenage middle distance prospect Jake Heyward as a “championship runner” who has the potential to make it to the top of his sport.
There can be few greater judges of middle distance running than the former 1500m and mile world record holder turned BBC television commentator.
In a glittering career, Cram broke multiple world records and won world, European and Commonwealth titles during the golden era of British middle distance running, which also produced the likes of Steve Ovett and Seb Coe.
Since retiring he has commentated on some of the greatest talents the sport has seen and become a hugely respected coach.
Cram believes Cardiff AAC athlete Heyward, has the talent and support team around him to become a success in the senior ranks.
“Jake’s a great athlete, he’s got a great coach in James Thie, who I know really well, and he’s had a great couple of years.
“He’s a championship runner, which is the most important thing for 1500m runners. He’s run reasonably quick too – 3:39, but that’s less important.”
Heyward, who recently overtook Cram to move third in Britain’s all-time under-20 1500m rankings, competes at the World Junior Athletics Championship in Tampere, Finland, later this month.
Cram believes the young Welshman can do well on the world stage, but warns the Welsh public and media not to get carried away too early.
The former Jarrow and Hebburn athlete said: “It’s a big step up for him at the World Juniors, he’s up against the Kenyans and the Ethiopians who are running much faster but in a championship race that doesn’t matter.
“I think as long as he goes there and is sensible about what he can achieve and the media, particularly back home in Wales, don’t get too ahead of themselves about what he’s capable of, then he’s got a great chance.”
Cram says Heyward’s progression in the sport could be helped by the fact that British middle distance running is experiencing something of a resurgence.
When Cram burst on the senior scene back in the late Seventies and early Eighties, he had fight to be noticed on the British circuit let alone the international stage with the likes of Coe and Ovett in their pomp.
Cram says Heyward will face a similar task: “What is ideal for him at the moment is that he is coming into British senior 1500m running which is in a good state of health at the moment, there’s a lot of competition just to get into the British team and that pushes standards up.
“So over the next couple of years he’ll be dreaming of going to the Olympics in Tokyo in two years time and he’ll know you’ve got Josh Kerr, who’s another good youngster from Scotland, and the established guys like Jake Wightman, Charlie Grice, Chris O’Hare and others.
“So the standard’s high, a bit like in our day, if you’ve got three, four, five, six guys all doing well, someone’s going to jump out of that pack and it could be him.
“We want that strength in depth and that’s about our seniors being good and the next level, the under-20s with Jake a case in point, already pushing them, going off and doing their age group competition, but then being able to come back again and compete at that level.”
Again Cram voices that note of caution for Heyward and those getting excited about his potential: “As long as he doesn’t get too carried away, along with those around him, and that’s why it’s great that he’s got James Thie because he knows him really well.
“So hopefully with a good set up around him, he can be patient and just keep progressing in his own timetable and not get too worried about the hype.”
The World Junior Championships take place in Tampere, Finland between July 10 and 15.