media_artricles :: 2015

Good company

Borel fine-tunes with World and Olympic champ

Trinidad and Tobago's newly-crowned Pan American Games women's shot put champion, Cleopatra Borel, was in Switzerland during the first half of August, fine-tuning her preparations for the 2015 IAAF World Championships here in Beijing, China. In Switzerland, she trained alongside her close friend, New Zealand's two-time Olympic gold medallist Valerie Adams.

Borel is fourth on the 2015 world outdoor performance list at 19.26 metres, and is expected to be in contention for precious metal at the Bird's Nest Stadium. The qualifying round is scheduled to start at 10.10 tonight (TT time), while the final takes place from 8.05 tomorrow morning.

Adams, meanwhile, is not fully fit following surgery and will not defend her title at the Beijing Worlds.

Borel (CB), who is coached by Cuban Ismael Lopez Mastrapa, spoke to the Trinidad Express' Kwame Laurence (KL) about her training stint in Switzerland.

KL: What prompted you to train in Switzerland, ahead of World Champs?

CB: I decided to stay over in Europe because it's a great environment for training. Valerie trained with me every day. Being double Olympic gold medallist, many times world champion, being able to train with her, even though she's not able to come here, really pushed me.

I did coach's programme, his lifting and his throwing programme. But Valerie just helped me, watching me and sort of correcting my technique and motivating me through the workout. She showed me some of the things that she does, and how she approaches lifting and throwing and all of that. We were just kind of collaborating. A real good, positive environment for training. That's really important for me.

In addition, with the time change and all of that, it just made sense to me to stay in Europe and then come over directly to China. It wasn't easy but it was possible and I'm really thankful to Valerie for that.

KL: How long did you stay in Switzerland?

CB: I was there for 12 or 13 days. It was the first time I had such an extended period of training with Valerie, but also we did everything together. In the past we would train together but say, for example, if she has gym and I have throws, I would do throws and she would do her gym. But because she was not coming to World Championships, she did my programme. We did everything together. So it was really a good push for me.

At times when I felt like I couldn't do more on the bench, she would just slap on the weight and say 'come on'. She's really, really tough, and when I would accomplish that weight, she would say 'see I told you', and put more on. So that kind of hesitation I have sometimes and not believing in myself, she really tried to push me. Sometimes when you're training on your own and you don't really have that push from an outside influence, you can get stagnated.

It was really good training with her. Valerie is on another level when it comes to taking risks, and being out there. She's super strong, super tall, just a super athlete, so being around someone like that elevates your game. I think I'm good for her also. I show her how I do some stuff. And I think we work well together. We've known each other since Commonwealth Games 2002. I don't think it's typical for two people in the same event to be that cool. It's really special.

KL: Valerie Adams is your friend, but she is also your rival. Do you have mixed feelings over her absence from the World Championships?

CB: When we compete together, Valerie pushes me. I don't have mixed feelings about it because I want Valerie to be at a hundred percent for the Olympics. I don't want Valerie to be injured and I don't want Valerie throwing 18 metres. I want Valerie to be at her best at the Olympics, and I want to get to her level. That's how I feel about it.

I wish she were here today because when we compete it's good. I've thrown a lot of my national records while I'm training with Val, and while we're on the circuit together and we're pushing each other. She helps to elevate my game, and ultimately that's what I want. I don't want everyone to throw 17 metres so I can win. That's not what it's about for me.

KL: Have you set any goals beyond the World Championships, or is it all about this weekend?

CB: All my goals are really looking forward towards Brazil, towards the Rio Olympics, so for me this is preparation towards Rio. This is as close as I'm going to get to the actual competition field and the format of the competition towards Rio. Rio is really the ultimate for me, and this is just another step towards that.

KL: You're 36 now. Will Rio possibly be your last Olympics?

CB: Not possibly, not possibly, no, no, no, no, no. Come on Kwame (laughing). Definitely the last, and I'm going to enjoy it wholeheartedly.

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