SPRINTER Joe Ferguson is hoping for a gold medal with Great Britain at the European Team Championships this weekend after what he says was his best ever race.
The 25-year-old from Darton is set to compete in the 4x100m men’s relay at the event in Madrid on Saturday.
Ferguson has run for Great Britain already this year, leading Great Britain’s mixed 100m relay team to bronze in the World Relay Championships in China.
He equalled his personal best in the 100m with 10.21 at the Statford Speed Grand Prix in London on Sunday, although the wind was too strong to count as an official PB.
Ferguson – who is a 200m specialist – has a main goal this season to reach the World Championship in Tokyo in September.
Joe said: “I equalled my PB but it won’t count officially because the wind was 0.1 over the legal limit for a PB.
“There were a couple of mistakes I made in the race so I know there is a lot more to come.
“That run is probably the best I’ve been. When I ran 10.21 in 2023 it was pretty much a perfect race.
“This time there are lots of things I can easily do to improve.
“I am confident I can get that down to near the ten-second mark in the next few months.
“If I can do that then it will put me in perfect shape to run 20 flat in the 200m which will make me really competitive for the world stage and put me where I want to be in terms of qualifying for the Tokyo World Championships.”
Ferguson has thrived under the coaching of Olympian Richard Kilty but struggled with injury early in the season.
“We’ve made a very swift turnout in training. We stuck to the plan, I recovered and I put myself in a very good position.”
On the upcoming European Team Championships, Joe said: “I have waited a couple of years for GB call-ups then two have come at once.
“I am really pleased to get another opportunity after doing a good job in China with the bronze medal.
“I want to bring some more hardware home and cement myself further in the relay squad. I think I have done a good job of that so far.
“I am excited to get out there and it’s always an honour to pull on the GB kit.
“We will definitely be the favourites and the aim has to be to win.
“We’re one of the powerhouse nations in Europe. It would be great to have a gold medal.”
Joe is hoping to finish this season competing at the World Championships individually and in the relay. He said: “The ideal situation would be going to Tokyo for the 200 and 4x100m. In the 200, I am still progressing but a medal might be a stretch at the moment.
“In the relay we could really have a chance of a medal which would really propel my career forward. “