A FEW months ago Beijing was more of a dream than a reality

for Alex Nelson.

“I'm still waiting for that big development that needs to

happen in every athlete's career,” the 20-year-old said.

“Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I wouldn't love to

go to the Olympics, to get to the final, to win it. But you

have to be realistic.”

It seems that “big development” might just have happened.

Alex booked his spot at the Games after a superb performance at

the trials in Birmingham, finishing second behind Christian

Malcolm in the 200m in 20.61 seconds.

For Nelson, from Birches Head, it is a double achievement.

He has had to overcome a serious back injury to claim his place

in the British team.

“It was basically a slight curvature of my spine that put a

lot of pressure on one side of my back,” he said. “Although

it's not uncommon, it caused me quite a lot of trouble, and it

took me from August until May to start running without any

pain.

“By February I started to realise that time was running out

for me regarding Beijing, and the seriousness of it really hit

home. It was a stressful time, so to be selected is definitely

more than I was expecting at that stage.”

Now, however, he is justifiably excited by the challenge of

competing on the world's biggest stage.

“For any athlete, your first Olympic Games are very special,

and it will also be my first major tournament as a full senior

international. It's obviously a great milestone, and hopefully

it will benefit me ahead of the next Games in 2012.

“The actual running won't be anything different, but I'll be

able to learn how to cope with everything that is associated

with the event, and that experience should be invaluable.”

Nelson has set his sights on a semi-final place in Beijing,

but acknowledges any further progression is unlikely at this

stage of his career. However, he insists he is not flying out

to China to make up the numbers, and refuses to rule out the

possibility of reaching the final.

“I think the semi-finals are a realistic target if I can

perform to my potential,” said the former City of Stoke

athlete, now with Sale Harriers.

“But if I do reach that stage, I would hope to compete and

not just finish nowhere.

“I would like to make it to the latter stages, and put in a

good performance. It's where I need to be if I want to further

my career, and I can't wait to get out there and give it my

best shot.”

For sure, Alex has the vital mental strength by the

bucketful, be it intellectual (four A-Levels) or athletic (a

sporting CV most his age would kill for). He is, by his own

admission, happy in his own space, handy in a calling that

requires a single-minded ruthlessness – to yourself.

“I took someone to watch one of my training sessions. They

were amazed, after seeing me being sick, that I just got up and

did it all over again. People don't realise just how hard you

have to push yourself.

“I'm quite an independent person, so being an athlete suits

my personality. I'm not saying I was left to fend on my own

from birth, but I'm happy in my own head. I think in some ways

that shows on the track. I don't really choke. I don't get

overly nervous. I'm quite happy in those big situations.”

Certainly the immaculately turned out 6ft 3ins Alex will cut

an impressive figure off the track. He makes a point of

carrying himself well, understanding that he is a role model as

well as a sportsman.

“For me, it's about presenting yourself well. I'm not one of

those people who goes and buys the most expensive clothes and

all that kind of stuff.

“It's more to do with how you behave around others.”

His is a remarkable rise culminating in gold in the 200m at

the European Junior Championships last year, a silver in the

4x100m relay event that followed, and then, perhaps most

remarkably of all at the time, a second-placed finish in the

200m at the World Trials and UK Championships. He has trumped

that, however, with his Beijing qualification.

But there is little chance of any of his achievements going

to his head.

“I've seen so many people who've said 'oh I'm going to do

this and I'm going to do that' – and then their hamstring has

gone. There's a lot of 'ifs' in athletics, a lot of

variables.

“You know, a lot of what you need is not physical, it's

mental. And I think if you build things up like that it must be

an even bigger blow when things go wrong.”

Thankfully, Alex will have the whole of North Staffordshire

wishing him nothing but good fortune in the Olympic arena.

– JOHN WOODHOUSE