Friedrich turns his dreams into a reality

After winning a ‘Southerns’ crown over 300m last month, the aspiring elite sprinter followed up with victory over the same distance at the England Athletics U15 Indoor Championships in Sheffield – and by no small margin.

He blasted home virtually unchallenged to take top spot in 36.68sec., a time that ranks him fourth all-time for U15 boys over 300m indoors and only 0.33sec. down on the record-holder, Walton’s George Sudderick.

Hercules Wimbledon’s Tommaso Crosara secured second in 37.76 as his younger teammate Pablo Carriedo finished a more distant third, posting 40.25.

It goes without saying that the 14-year-old Sarnian was delighted.

‘After months and months of work, training through wind and rain, sleepless nights and throwing up on football pitches, I am finally national champion, and the fourth-quickest over the distance here in the UK ever,’ he said.

‘It’s an amazing feeling to be able to say that, and if you’d asked me two years ago where I see myself being now, this wouldn’t have been my answer.’

Friedrich had also been pleased with his heat, which he had dominated in 37.85.

‘The races themselves were both great, and I executed both almost exactly as I had planned to.

‘The nerves before them were intense, to say the least, but with good reason I’d say – I went into the race knowing there was a chance to stand on the top of that podium, and it was up to me to make it a reality.’

Friedrich is a very versatile athlete, as his five U15 golds at last May’s Hampshire Championships will attest to, but in recent times has shone brightest over 300m.

He had taken encouragement from finishing 2024 as the highest-ranked of the first-year U15s in the UK.

Although he has now translated that to a national title, he admitted there were ‘a lot of bumps in the road’ to achieve this.

‘I don’t doubt that that’ll stop. There’ll always be something, or someone getting in your way, and I think the journey leading up to this has taught me that, just as it has many other things.’

He has been receiving invaluable coaching and guidance from Dale Garland – not only one of Guernsey’s fastest long-sprinters ever but a Commonwealth Games decathlete.

‘Without the help of Dale and his coaching and mentoring, I would not have managed this – I don’t think I would’ve come close.

‘His expertise and experience over the past few months has lead me to this, and I couldn’t be more thankful for everything he’s done.

‘This is a big step forward in terms of my pathway to professional athletics. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.’