Stratford's Andrew Pozzi delighted to claim Commonwealth Games bronze medal on home soil
STRATFORD star Andrew Pozzi admitted 'the dive of his life' helped secure a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games 110m hurdles final.
Four years after a disappointing sixth-placed finish in Australia where he clipped the first hurdle, the 30-year-old clocked 13.37s at the Alexander Stadium last Thursday night (4th August) to pip fellow Englishman Joshua Zeller to the final spot on the podium.
There was just 0.02s separating the two in the end, with Pozzi sneaking over the line first after a last-ditch lunge which saw him land flat on his face.
Jamaica's Rasheed Broadbell won the race in a blistering 13.08s, a new personal best and an equal Games record, while Barbados's Shane Brathwaite took home the silver in a season's best time of 13.30s.
Reflecting on his performance, the former St Gregory's Catholic Primary School pupil told the Herald: "It was getting close at the end. All season I have struggled with the last couple of hurdles.
"I'm in a really good, physical shape but it's such a technical event that the faster you're going the tighter the hurdles are at the end and you've got to be disciplined.
"I felt myself getting close [to the hurdles at the end] and coming off the tenth I still felt like I was in it.
"It was just a mad dive for the line – it was the dive of my life. I didn't think I got [the bronze] so I was really happy to finish with a medal."
When asked about what it means to win a medal after the heartache suffered on the Gold Coast in 2018, Pozzi added: "You've always got to take the good and the bad together.
"Australia was a big moment for me and unfortunately it did not go my way that night. I'm really pleased to have left with a medal this time around and even more happy to have done it here in Birmingham."
After the nervous wait to see if he'd won the bronze, a delighted Pozzi then did a lap of honour around the Alexander Stadium and the former St Benedict's Catholic High School and Alcester Grammar School student stressed how much he appreciated the support from the fans and everyone back home in Stratford.
"I think that's why I was really keen to do a lap of this stadium," he added. "I had so many friend and family, who are from Stratford, in the crowd and as long as they were willing to stay afterwards, I was happy to see them."
Pozzi has always shown that loyalty to Stratford and whenever he can he's always proudly wearing the black and gold vests of Stratford Athletic Club when competing.
Paul Bearman, who coached Pozzi for eight years, told the Herald his bronze medal was the culmination of lots of preparation and hard work.
"From the club's point of view, we are incredibly proud of what he achieved," he said.
"There are lots of ups and downs when it comes to being a hurdler and a professional athlete, and a lot of people don't recognise that.
"It's not just about turning up. There's month's of hard work and preparation that goes into everything."
He added: "Grit, determination and pure tenacity got Andrew over the line last week. One slip at previous events has led to him not achieving what he set out to do.
"This time around, though, something was pushing him on and he said to me afterwards just how determined he was to get over the line.
"We are so proud of what Andrew has achieved. It's pleasing to see he has managed to achieve what he wanted to do not only indoors but outdoors as well."
