James Foreman (August 2017)
James Forman, at the time of writing, in August 2017 is 25 years old and, coached by his father Andy Forman. He gives great credit to his Father “Without him I would be nowhere really. He knows how to get the best out of me.’ James Forman has run a 46.74 400 indoors; 21.84 for 200 and 50.41 for 400 hurdles. He was South of England Champion, over 400 hurdles in 50.53 in 2014 and for Brunel University he has won the British Universities 400hurdles and 400 flat titles.
It was at the UK CAU & England Athletics senior AAA’s Championships, on the 30/7/17 we talked about his win over 400 hurdles for Hampshire. The first three in his event were 1. James Forman (Southampton & Eastleigh) 50.72; 2 Mathew Sumner (City of Plymouth) 51.2; 3 Jack Lawrie (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies) 51.90.
About that James explained :-
“I stuttered into hurdle one so, I had to start from hurdle one really to get my rhythm back but, I worked hard into the wind in the back straight, which was good. I just did not quite get my pattern to hurdle 8. Coming off the bend the wind was a bit stronger. That was why I hit hurdle 8. I did not realise that someone was close at that stage. It was the first time I have looked round and felt someone there. I thought ‘Oh No’ he is going to take me. I am normally chasing. I never lead races in the last bit, but come home strong. It depends how I am feeling really. To-day, it was quite scary but I enjoyed it though”.
When did it all begin for him?
“When I was 10.”
I noticed from his results over the years that, he started enjoying hurdling quite young, as an under 13 runner when he did some 80m hurdle races.
He comes in “When I was 18 I broke the Isle of Wight record with a 50.41 hurdles.
The entire home crowd were there (He lives on the I of W) the whole family were there that, I felt that was a personal achievement for me. “
Having interviewed hurdlers since 1960’s, I was interested to know which athletes were his heroes.
“Bershawn Jackson of the USA, because he was my height 5’9 and one of the smallest.
He ran 15’s all the way, that is what I am trying to do, hopefully. You can but not like Edwin Moses. He was the Champion for 10 years or so.”
I pointed out that James looked a strong build but, he thought he should be skinnier.
I said, I thought 400 hurdlers come in all sizes almost and, his reply to that was.
“Yes, if you look at Kerron Clement or Angelo Taylor, they are both pretty big.”
Other special races for him
“46.74 (2012 in the Midland Counties Open at Birmingham) indoors which qualified me for the World Championships Indoors in Istanbul but, they did not use me.
In the British Universities that I won, I was in lane one and beat the guy who went off to the Olympics for Nigeria. I beat him by 200th’s of a second so, that was a pretty special moment for me.’
‘This year (2017) is the first year I have actually enjoyed it and, know what I am doing a bit more’
‘With the hurdles, if you don’t know your stride pattern you just don’t enjoy it. You need to build up that really so, I hope to enjoy it more and, the times will come.”