The former world champion makes one final roll of the dice in a big move north as he tries to get back on top.
Jake Wightman has admitted that another serious injury could spell the end of his athletic career. The 2022 world champion’s body has betrayed him many times since he famously won 1500m gold in Eugene. a serious foot injury blighted his 2023 season, before a calf strain ruled him out of this year’s British Championships, followed by a hamstring strain that ruled him out. Paris Olympic Games in full.
“If I have another big injury or setback, I’m not sure I can come back because my body is telling me ‘this is it,'” the 30-year-old said in an exclusive interview in October. the question AW:out now. “But I believe if I make these changes now, I can get back to where I need to be.”
The changes Wightman has in mind include uprooting his life and moving from Teddington, South London, to Manchester. He will continue to be coached by his father Geoff, but the move is mainly to be closer to his physio Alex O’Gorman.
“My father’s training works for me,” says the European and Commonwealth medalist. “It keeps me in shape. I just have to work on being able to handle it at my current age and body.
“I would still like to be based at Teddington, but I have to make some changes for the rest of my career. I moved to Teddington to be near my dad for coaching and coaching facilities, but things are changing and therapy is the No.1 thing for me now.”
Jake Whiteman (AthleticsImages)
Whiteman is now aiming to make it to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and while she’s already making plans for what she can do with her life outside of athletics, there’s still unfinished business on the track.
“If you’re doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same results, that’s the definition of insanity, so I’m excited to get moving and looking forward to a change of scenery,” he says. “I’ve been to (Manchester) a few times to make sure it’s where I want to go. I think there is a lot to it and I feel like it will serve me well for the rest of my career.
“I hope that in a year I can look back and know that this was the right decision. I had to do something else because my body has problems very often.”
Was retirement an option? “If I had been at a low level and had a bad race or didn’t make the team because I didn’t run well enough, I don’t think I would have continued this year,” he says. “But because I’ve seen enough hints that I’m still the athlete that I am, I want to make sure that I have a career where I still have opportunities to show that.”
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