Thrower Morse hoping to find code for Delhi joy

CARDIFF thrower Brett Morse begins a journey today that he hopes will end with a breakthrough into frontline athletics in 2010.

Morse, 21 next month, is one of Wales’ hopes for Commonwealth Games glory at Delhi in October.

Currently going through an exhaustive six-days-a-week training regime ahead of the UK Championships in June, which double as the European Championships trials, Morse knows a crucial 12 months lie ahead.

He will be heading to Portugal in April for 10 days of warm weather training with Wales’ other Commonwealth Games athletes as the push towards Delhi racks up another stage.

Today, he is at the Welsh Indoor Championships at NIAC in Cardiff and will face some good competition, especially from Birchfield Harrier Ryan Spencer-Jones, who has a personal best of 16.79m – nearly a metre further than Morse’s best.

This is a warm-up competition for the Cardiff powerhouse, who was the UK’s leading junior thrower during 2007 and 2008.

If he can continue his progress, there is no reason why he cannot establish himself among the British greats of discus and shot throwing, like Carl Myerscough and Geoff Capes.

At least, that is the aim.

Morse, who threw well over the Commonwealth Games qualifying standard in his preferred discus discipline of 57.50m last year, said: “All my training is now centred towards Delhi.

“Last year was my first as a senior. I was throwing bigger and heavier discus than the juniors at the time.

“Now I am more physically and mentally mature and I feel that if I carry on performing and training well then I can get a medal in Delhi.

“I am training six days a week and normally have Saturdays off.

“But I will be using the competition at the Welsh Indoors as part of my training programme.”

Roath-based Morse, who started throwing the shot instead of the hammer when in school, said: “I don’t want to be one of those athletes who trains hard and gets nowhere.

“I want to get medals.”

Cardiff-based British middle-distance international Steve Davies is aiming to defend his Welsh Indoor Championships 1500m title before his own push towards a place on the plane to India.

The Welsh selectors are due to name their Commonwealth Games shortlist on April 3, so a number of other athletes will be aiming to give them a serious nudge today.

Welsh high jump record holder Rob Mitchell is targeting a fifth indoor crown in his quest for a Delhi place and put behind him the misery of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

JOE Thomas, from Pontypridd, will return to the scene where he first gained a Great Britain vest as he competes in the Aviva International Match in Glasgow on January 30.

Thomas, who turns 22 in a few days, has been selected for a strong GB team including world-class stars such as world champ Jessica Ennis, Chris Tomlinson and Lisa Dobriskey.