Harvey ready for biggest race of career

IVYBRIDGE Community College student Jo Harvey faces the biggest race of her life tomorow at the World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, northern Poland.

Harvey, 18 (pictured left), will represent her country in the 3000m race, and she is very excited about the challenge.

“This is definitely the biggest event i have ever done, I'm really looking forward to the race,” she said.

“I have competed in a few competitions but nothing quite like this – I can't wait to go out there and prove what I can do.”

Harvey, who has represented her country at the World Junior Cross Country Championships, will be slightly out of her comfort zone in Poland as she will be competingin the 3000m rather than her preferred distance of 1500m.

She had met the qualifying times for both events but was picked for the seven-and-a-half lap event after finishing third in the 1500m trials in Bedford last month.

But her form of late has been impressive and she is more than happy to race in Poland.

“Once I came third in the 1500m behind Steph Twell and Emma Pallant I knew they would have first choice and they both opted for the 1500m,” she said. “But it's a great opportunity to be doing the 3000m, and I'm really looking forward to it.”

Despite preferring the 1500m, the youngster is confident in her 3000m potential and is in great form, having shattered her personal best by 10 seconds reactly, clocking an impressive new mark of 9.13.58 minutes.

Harvey, currently second in the British under-20 rankings, will be hoping that the World Juniors will be a stepping stone to something greater – the 2012 London Olympics.

“My plan is to compete in London 2012” she stated. “That is the big one, and competing in events like this can only help me improve.”