Now, however, the Birchfield Harrier is fit, healthy and raring to go.Last summer, even in a half-fit state, he jumped the Olympic qualifying distance, 8.05m, but with wind assistance The selectors left him at home. This summer, it is a healthy sign that even the setting of the A standard qualifying mark for the world championships at 8.20m has not blunted the sharpness of Morgan's competitive appetite "At the moment I know I'm in shape to do 8.0m," he said. "And if I catch one right I know I'll go over 8.20m."The reason for Morgan's confidence is not just the rude state of his health but also the fact that he will be speeding down the runway at a faster rate of knots this year. On a training trip to Florida last month he finished runner-up to his Birchfield club-mate Mark Lewis-Francis, the world indoor 60m bronze medallist, in a 100m race in Tallahassee. And two weeks ago he won the 100m B race at the British League match at Barnet in 10.38sec. Lynn Davies, one of Britain's top sprinters in his day as one of the world's leading long-jumpers, had a best 100m time of 10.40sec.
Jonathan Edwards, the lightning-quick triple-jump world record holder, has a personal best for the distance of 10.48sec.Morgan could go even quicker at Loughborough He has accepted an invitation to run in the 100m guest race. "I think Nathan will get close to running under 10.30sec this summer," his coach, Darrell Bunn, said "He has that speed and he's always been a natural jumper. We're at the point in his athletic career where, touch wood if he remains injury-free, it's time for him to prove that he has an enormous talent, which he does. There's no doubt about that."It's down to him having the confidence now. He's had a period of three years in which his body has let him down but he's got to jump with no inhibitions, without worrying that he's going to break down again. He firmly believes he will jump 8.20m this year and there's no doubt in my mind that the boy has the capacity to jump a lot further than that.
One day he's going to hit something big and remove the British record big time." Perhaps even one day this summer.. Politically, it may have been a very sound decision You can see the subliminal benefits, too. But on several other counts, the fishpond part of Tony Blair's guest appearance at a Cleveland hospital did not pass the "Would you vote for this man?" test Politically, it may have been a very sound decision You can see the subliminal benefits, too. But on several other counts, the fishpond part of Tony Blair's guest appearance at a Cleveland hospital did not pass the "Would you vote for this man?" test. According to Private Eye, which is pretty good at knowing these things, the Prime Minister visited North Tees hospital and was captivated by shoals of carp happily playing in the pond at reception However, these carp were very much A&E fish. They had been delivered just an hour before the great man's visit.Twenty minutes after he waved goodbye to the cheering medics, after reassuring them that waiting lists were coming down and that there would be thousands more doctors, nurses and bedpans if they would only vote for him, a van pulled up and a man with a large net took away the carp. They had been hired out for the occasion.This column has often waxed lyrical about the soothing effects of fish.
