page revision date : 30th November 2009
Gemma shines at
cross-country running
Gemma Leahy can regularly be seen running around the Goodwick area as she trains for her cross country running and at 20 years of age has her sights firmly set as a Welsh 3,000 metres steeple-chaser when she gets back to full fitness.
Gemma has been involved in running in cross country from the time that she took part in her first race at the event held at Oakwood and won her section to show her running potential. From there she trained regularly around the Goodwick area with dad John, with every support from mum Dawn, and then went on to win the county cross country, followed by success at the Welsh Cross Country Championships in Brecon which had selectors sitting up and taking notice.
Hard work in training
Since then Gemma has been heavily involved in running cross country and hoping to start as a 3,000 metres steeplechaser when she is back to full fitness. Her original aim was selection for Wales for the Commonwealth Games, which take place in Delhi, India, a year October – and although illness has hampered her training for a while she is now working hard to get back to full fitness and if things go really well hasn’t totally given up on that aim. To that end she is building up the mileage as she trains six days a week (she takes a deserved rest every Saturday) with some days having the work done over three separate sessions. It is at these sessions she can be seen running around Fishguard, sometimes running to St Nicholas so she gets some valuable hill work into her schedule.
Then she has two quality sessions in Carmarthen, where she works with her coach Chris Jones, the former British Triathlon coach who gives plenty of good advice. There are four hurdles and a water jump on each lap of the 3,000 metres steeplechase and she practices her hurdling for the water jump in the sand at the local track in Haverfordwest - and such has been the improvement in her technique that she can now run 100 metres with one hurdle placed on the track faster than she can run a straight 100 metres!
Other sports
Outside of her running, Gemma also played football and hockey before deciding to focus fully on her athletics. Her father John had played football for Goodwick and mum Dawn played hockey so she was following in their footsteps as she played right back for a Goodwick Ladies’ football team which reached the Cup Final at the Bridge Meadow Stadium before losing to an experienced Haverfordwest County team – and also played in the same position for Fishguard School, Pembrokeshire Schools and Goodwick Ladies in hockey before the risk of injury which might hold up her athletics’ progress became too great.
Physiotherapy training on degree course
Gemma has also completed two years of her course in physiotherapy at Cardiff University where she will qualify with a B. Sc (Hons) degree after taking this year out so she could concentrate on her running – but is keeping her hand in by helping John Roberts look after the first team footballers at Haverfordwest County. She was introduced there by avid Bluebirds’ supporter Mike Delaney and can help them with muscle stiffness and other minor problems. Not content with that, Gemma is also going to attend Saturday matches (on her day off from running!) so that she can work with the afore-mentioned Mr Roberts and gain more experience of sports injuries.
Top race highlights
One of the undoubted highlights so far in Gemma’s running career was undoubtedly when she was chosen to run for Wales in a top race in Milan, Italy, and became the first Welsh runner to collect a medal at this prestigious event as she came a very creditable third out of over 50 competitors in a race won by Bonita Johnston, who had run for Australia in the Olympics! The course, over 6,000 metres, was thronged with people and it is a race which understandably will long remain in her memory.
Although she is still eligible to run at under 23 level, Gemma regularly competes with the senior ladies and in January this year ran in the Antrim cross country race over in Ireland. She came 21st and although she would have liked to have been higher it told her that she was back on the road to full recovery.
Keeping up the good work
Whilst studying in Cardiff she trains with Cardiff Athletic Club at their fine facility in Leckwith and when she is back home she trains with Carmarthen Harriers after being advised by Pete Freeman (Pembrokeshire Harriers) that she would find more athletes of her age there, which was really good of him because it must have been a real temptation to keep her in Haverfordwest to run for the local club.
So now it’s a matter of keeping up the good work and raising the pace in training under the watchful eye of her father John, who like mum is always giving first-class support. She knows that there is still a lot of effort to be put in but she is more than ready to face the work that will give support to her natural talent. PembrokeshireSport.co.uk was delighted to chat with Gemma before she had to trot off for another training stint – and were are confident that we will hear a lot more of this modest and likeable young lady in the future!
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