WOMEN’S CLASSIC 2008 WINNER – COURTNEY EVANS
I first turned up to run with Flagstaff athletics with coach John Le Ray as a 14 year old back in 2004. After a few training sessions, John thought with a bit of time and a lot of hard work, that I could be his next 400m Camden success. John has a sharp eye when it comes to spotting potential Camden women’s 400m winners as he had already tasted victory at Camden with several female runners.
In 2004 I was the youngest female to ever make a Camden Classic 400m final. In 2005 and 2006 I also made the final.
Half way through the season in 2006, Sophie my twin sister and I decided to shift camp to the Flinders Athletic club with new coach Toby Schreier, mainly due to the large number of girls training in the middle distance range.
In 2006 I won the 1600m woman’s race at the Bay Sheffield which was the plan. In 2007, a few weeks later I failed to make the women’s 400m final at Camden. I was too confident and thought I had the race down pat. I didn’t make the final and I was absolutely shattered. I felt that I had let myself down because of the amount of training I was doing leading up to this.
During the next pre season Toby trained me up so I would peak after Xmas, as we all know this is hard to do. The plan worked well. In the new year of 2008 I won the women’s 550m at Glenelg oval and the next race meet I won the women’s 300m at Marion. I knew I was fit as anything and with preparation like this I was really excited. Two weeks later, it was Camden!
I came 1st and clocked the quickest time in the Women’s 400m heats. I had made the final and I felt great, my biggest moment had finally come. I was able to get to the front in the home straight to hold off the fast finishing Holly Noack who was having a cracker of a season herself. But I won! To cross a line through a goal of mine felt amazing! And I have the sash above my bed to prove it!
I will always be able to run a meter or two quicker at Camden just because of the great atmosphere, the well prepared track and the prestige of the event itself.
I would like to mention a special thanks to both Toby Schreier and John Le Ray who made me believe in myself and achieve in what ever I put my mind too. And Toby truly got the best out of me!