Discus dynamo Chukwuemeka Osammor has set his sights on joining fellow Sheffield star Louie Hinchliffe on the Olympic stage in future following a 'crazy' summer.
Osammor, 23, became the British national discus champion in Manchester in June, further establishing himself as one of his country’s brightest prospects.
He secured the UK title with 59.98m, narrowly pipping Olympian Nick Percy, which has only served to enhance his desire to take his talents to a wider audience.
Osammor revealed: “It was pretty crazy because a week or two prior I had thrown in training and I just knew, I had a feeling.
"I wasn’t certain of it but I had a feeling it was going to be a good competition and there was a high chance I could medal.
“The ego in me was like ‘Yeah, you could probably win this competition’, but you never want to be too arrogant about it. It was sort of surreal but then at the same time I was kind of annoyed as well.
“I felt I should’ve pushed myself a bit further so I could get the Olympic standard because a couple of hours later I look across and see Louie [Hinchliffe] has qualified for the Olympics.
"It was a bittersweet feeling where you’ve done well, won the British champs, but fell short of the Olympic standard.
“Without sounding cocky or arrogant, it’s a bit frustrating as well because you don't want to just spectate, you don’t want to just take part, you want to win.
“I’d say that’s the next big thing, going to these competitions, medalling and showing what you’re capable of.”
Sprinter Hinchliffe is one of Osammor’s earliest friends, and the discus thrower is eager to join the Olympic bronze medallist in representing his country at the highest level after cheering him on from the sidelines.
Osammor added: “It was good to see but at the same time it was weird because you’re just seeing your friend on TV, seeing him do something you want to do as well.
“We’ve been friends for a long time so I still talk to him every day and it’s good to have that friendship. It’s inspiring but at the same time there’s a playful banter.
"He’ll often say ‘How come you’re not here?’ and stuff like that, given we started at a similar time.”
Osammor is one of 50 athletes across a multitude of sports supported by a partnership between SportsAid and Pitching In, a multimillion-pound grassroots sport programme established by Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral.
And the discus prospect has paid tribute to SportsAid for its unwavering support and recognition of his sporting achievements as he hopes to further cement himself as one of Britain’s most promising athletes.
He said: “It’s been very motivational. It’s very reassuring to know that an organisation like SportsAid is taking note of your achievements.
“Sometimes you feel like no one’s watching so it goes a long way. It’s nice to be recognised and to be part of that.”
Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, is proud to be championing the next generation of British sporting heroes by providing talented young athletes with financial support and personal development opportunities in partnership with SportsAid. Visit entaingroup.com to find out more.
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