Ipswich runner selected for Commonwealth Youth Games

Stan Chevous is representing England in the 400m in Trinidad and Tobago

A teenage runner who switched sports after realising he was much faster than anyone else on the football pitch is off to the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Stan Chevous, 16, from Ipswich, is representing England in the 400m in Trinidad and Tobago.

He was given the good news on the final day of his GCSE exams last month and is among 30 athletes flying out in August.

"I was absolutely over the moon," said Stan, who is ranked number in the UK one for his age and distance.

He was playing football as a young child when he had an inkling it was not the sport for him.

Stan Chevous was playing football as a young child when he had an inkling it was not the sport for him

"I was able to run up and down the wing a lot of faster and for a lot longer than other teams we came across," he said.

"My passion for football faded massively so I wanted to try something else."

After out-running everyone in a cross-country team, he signed up for track and field club Ipswich Harriers aged 11 and "the rest is history", he said.

By his mid-teens he was on course as a 400m runner, which he described as a "weird" distance.

He was following in the speedy footsteps of his father Tom, grandfather Andy and great-grandfather Stanley, all of whom trained with the club.

'Mental barrier'

"It's known for being one of the hardest distances to train for you and you cannot let that mental barrier to hold you back," added Stan.

"The rewards are so much sweeter when you win, you've got a sense of achievement and those cold and dark winter sessions are all worth it."

He said his first big win was bringing a gold medal back to Ipswich this year, after representing Suffolk at the English Schools Championships, which had been his "dream" as a child.

He also won his race in the Suffolk County Championships for a second year running, and was selected for England after a PB of 47.71 seconds in the 400m at the under-20 National Championships in June.

Speaking of the Commonwealth Youth Games, he said the Caribbean climate would take some getting used to, but he was looking forward to being among other athletes.

"It will be great supporting my team mates, not just in athletics but netball, swimming, beach volleyball," he added.

"I'm really good at strength and conditioning but other people are really good at diet, for example, so you can talk to others and improve as an athlete.

"My diet is healthy but it isn't amazing because I'm a teenager," he joked.

"Training is light at the moment; I am focusing on stretching and when I am on the track there is nothing too insane, to keep me away from injury.

"There's lots of protein, and lots of water - which I'll need in the Caribbean heat."

The games begin on 4 August on both islands, with Stan competing in the 400m and 4 x 400m mixed relay in Trinidad between 7 and 10 August.