Birchfield star Louise Hazel meets Usain Bolt - in a cupboard
Birchfield Harriers heptathlete Louise Hazel has swept away any pre-Olympic tension – after being cornered in a cupboard by Usain Bolt.
Birchfield Harriers heptathlete Louise Hazel has swept away any pre-Olympic tension – after being cornered in a cupboard by Usain Bolt.
The US sprint star – who won three golds in Beijing four years ago – got lost at the team's training camp in Birmingham when he ran into Hazel.
The Jamaican track and field team are training at the University of Birmingham as part of their preparations for London 2012 – which starts on Friday.
With the Games looming, Hazel insisted her surprise meeting with the 100m world record holder helped her keep it in perspective.
"I bumped into Usain Bolt last week and he followed me into a cupboard," said the 26-year-old
"He thought it was the toilet so we had a little giggle and I sent him on his way. He was a nice guy, down to earth and it was great to see him there because he's a massive inspiration.
"We didn't really talk that much as I thought I'd leave him to get on with his training. There were a lot of spectators just milling around and it can become quite invasive so I just pointed him in the right direction.
"I'm not one to get starstuck, they're another athlete and a human being so I don't get bowled over.
"But it's nice to see. It makes everything real knowing they are working towards it and putting the finishing touches to their plans as well. It reassures you it's not just you."
The reigning Commonwealth Games champion is part of a 10-strong group of Birchfield Harriers selected for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Nine – including Darlaston Dart Mark Lewis-Francis – have been picked for Team GB with Ingmar Vos selected by the Netherlands and Hazel insisted it showed the Stags are the country's best.
She said: "It's brilliant for the club. I'm extremely proud to be affiliated with them. They've been extremely proactive in building up the Games and getting extra sponsorship for the athletes. They've put a lot of work in over the last two or three years. They are pushing things forward and you don't always say that about athletics.
"I can't speak for every club in the country but I think Birchfield are leading the way."
Hazel is joined by favourite Jessica Ennis and Katarina Johnson-Thompson in the heptathlon and has jetted to Portugal with the Team GB track and field team for their final training camp.
And she hopes to escape the problematic British weather which has wreaked havoc with her training.
She added: "It's nice we're on the final stretch – I don't think anyone anticipated not having a summer and it makes it quite difficult to train sometimes. I'm looking forward to finding that sharpness. I was interrupted by a storm last time I threw the javelin so I couldn't go outside."
