THE YORKSHIRE Championships are due to take place at the Dorothy Hyman Stadium in Cudworth as usual this week but Barnsley man Joe Ferguson will be more than 6,000 miles away competing for his country.
The sprinter from Darton is part of the Great Britain squad at the World Relay Championships in Guangzhou, China which take place on Saturday and Sunday.
The recently-crowned British indoor 200m champion has been in Hong Kong for a week-long training camp – during which he celebrated his 25th birthday – before taking the train to Guangzhou.
Ferguson told the Chronicle: “It’s a big contrast to what I am used to.
“I have pretty much started every season as a senior in Barnsley at the Yorkshire Championships.
“I will miss that but I am excited to get an opportunity on a big stage.
“There will be some big names out in China.
“All the teams are out there trying to qualifying for the World Championship.
“It’s high-pressure and very tough even though it’s the season-opener.”
Joe is in the men’s squad for the 100m relay and also the mixed gender squad.
“We just want to be competitive.
“We want to win, ideally.
“There will be the first ever international mixed 4x100 relay which is exciting, to be part of history.
“Individually, I want to lay down a performance and show off my skills and the form I have got myself into.
“I want to make a good start to the season then use it as momentum.
“My job is to be there, available and versatile.
“The team staff will let me know what they need me to do.
“It will be nice to get as much experience as possible.
“The relay is one of the prestige events in sprinting, especially in Britain because we’ve been very good in recent years.
“I really want to put myself forward for it and I know I have at the capabilities.
“I want to run the 200m and 4x100m in the future.
“This is a good opportunity to earn trust and respect from the team.
“My strength is my top end speed and speed endurance.
“As a 200m runner, the bend leg or the home strength would be a strength for me.
“But I am happy to do any leg.”
Joe – who competed in the 2022 World Championships before two injury-plagued years – quit his part-time job in a jewellers last year to train full-time under former Olympian Richard Kilty.
“It’s been a few years since I have been on a Championship level GB team.
“I have had rough years with injuries.
“I am excited.
“Richard has helped me a lot physically and mentally.
“I am in my best shape ever. I know I am ready to run fast. I just need to be smart and execute when it matters.”
After China, Joe is due to compete in a race in Cyprus later this month then others on the European tour leading up the British Championships in August. His main aim is to qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo in September.
