Sprinter Brier's shock GB call-up transforms holiday

Hannah Brier has studied at Loughborough University and at Cardiff Metropolitan University

Having thought her season was over, Hannah Brier packed her suitcase for a relaxing holiday in the Turkish sunshine.

But the Swansea sprinter's trip swiftly turned into something of a boot camp after hearing whispers that she could be selected by UK Athletics for next month's World Championships.

After packing training gear in her luggage at the last moment, the 27-year-old's additional graft during what was meant to be a rest and recovery period was rewarded as she was named as one of four Welsh athletes in the British team for the upcoming Worlds - which take place between 13-21 September.

"To get that phone call yesterday, I was a little bit shocked and I asked the selectors 'are you sure you want to take me?'" she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"I had an inkling last week, I ran really well and broke the Welsh record.

"I was going to end my season there and I thought 'let's just end it there and get ready for the Commonwealth Games next year'.

"Then I had a few phone calls saying 'Hannah, you really need to keep training, you might be considered for selection'.

"So it turned quickly into a case of packing my spikes, trainers and weightlifting shoes before a weekend away."

Brier - who features in the 4x400m relay team - will be joined by fellow Welsh athletes Jeremiah Azu (100m & 4x100m relay), Melissa Courtney-Bryant (1500m) and Abi Pawlett (Heptathlon) in Japan.

It continues what has been a whirlwind spell for Brier - who won gold in the 200m at the British Indoor Athletics Championships and in the 100m event at the Welsh National Championships in 2022.

It is also a far cry from two years ago when she nearly quit the sport after struggling to balance her manic work schedule with an intense training regime.

"I work full-time and train full-time which some people think is absolutely crazy, but it really works for me," she added.

"I work as a youth worker with Neath Port Talbot youth service - I help and support young people who are not in education or employment and try to get them back into something. That could be overcoming personal barriers, we deal with a lot of different things like motivation confidence, mental health, youth homelessness, I've got a caseload of about 30 children at the moment so it's really difficult.

"The day-to-day is hectic. I work a typical nine-to-five and train around that."

In 2021, Brier also opened up on her struggles when it came to running outdoors during the Covid-19 pandemic after being unable to train on track due to not being in the "elite" category.

But having reignited her career in the 400m, Brier still says she feels somewhat out of place among GB's elite.

"I have a little bit of imposter syndrome. I was looking at the team and I was thinking 'wow, there's some really big names in there'," she added.

"I'm so excited - going to Tokyo is an experience in itself and then having the possibility to run and potentially get a medal, that would be amazing and just the cherry on top."