Pole vault star Bradshaw misses World indoors in bid to be fit for Gold Coast Commonwealth Games

Chorley pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw ended her indoor season early in a bid to be fit for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Holly BradshawHolly Bradshaw
Holly Bradshaw

Bradshaw, 26, missed the last Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014 due to injury, and has struggled with Achilles and back issues in the past.

But this time a minor hamstring injury saw her pull out of the indoor campaign, a move she has done in the past and one that enabled her to go on and finish fifth at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

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Now she sacrificed the chance of a medal at the World indoor championships in Birmingham to aid her quest for glory on the outdoor circuit in her first Commonwealth Games.

She Tweeted: “I am truly saddened to say that I will be stopping my indoor season. During a training session this week, I sustained a minor hamstring injury. Given the short time before the World Indoors, I have decided not to risk returning in time for that event. Thanks for the support.”

Speaking before the minor setback, the former Parklands High School student told the Chorley Guardian that her previous injuries had made her a better athlete.

She said: “I’ve had a quite a few big injuries each year, they have ended in surgeries and set back after setback.

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“We learned a lot off the back of that and that information has helped us move forward.

“I’m in a better place now for it.

“I’m a better athlete from it, I’m also a lot mentally smarter, more resilient and I’ve learned so much along the way.

“I would not swap out the adversities I have faced because it has made me who I am now.”

And Bradshaw, who broke the British record in Manchester last year revealed her approach to competion and main focus this year is just having fun and enjoying herself.

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Speaking before the injury she said: “First and foremost my aim is just to have fun and enjoy myself. Just see what comes off the back of that.

“There is no pressure for me this year.

“I want to do well at. I’m not really thinking about the end goal.

“I’m not thinking about oh I wanna win or I want to win a medal or jump high.

“I’m just thinking have fun do what you are doing and focus on the process and then maybe the outcomes will come off the back of that.

“The forefront of my mind is not winning a medal but I’d like to win a medal and a couple of major medals this year but my main focus is having fun and enjoying myself.”