Jemma in golden form
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CHAMPION runner Jemma Simpson is brimming with confidence.
The 25-year-old from Polgooth has had a cracking month, establishing herself as a serious contender for the women's 800m world title.
After three months spent nursing a broken foot, Jemma recovered to take the British women's 800m title at the Aviva World Trials and UK Championships in Birmingham on July 12. Then, last Friday, Cornwall's golden bullet wowed the crowd in London with a convincing victory at the London Grand Prix. Jemma led home British rivals Jenny Meadows and Marilyn Okoro with a winning time of 2:01.08 minutes.
Now the world of athletics is waiting to see whether Jemma can make it a hat trick with a win at the World 800m Championships in Berlin next month.
The St Austell Voice snatched a brief few minutes with Jemma on Monday. Speaking from Monaco, the former county swimmer was preparing to race the Herculis IAAF Super Grand Prix race (in which she recorded a personal best time).
Commenting on her London performance, Jemma said: "I was really pleased with Crystal Palace. It sets me up nicely for Berlin."
She continued: "I'm in Monaco at the moment and I'm doing another race tomorrow. I would like to run a quicker race. I think I will be quicker tomorrow as the runners taking part are quicker."
There will be no rest for Jemma after Tuesday's race. It is then that the young athlete will start working like crazy towards becoming world champ.
Jemma said: "After Monaco I am into hard training until Berlin. After Berlin I will have a bit of a break."
One of three children, Jemma was born in Plymouth on February 10, 1984 and grew up in St Stephen. Her dad Ted - formerly a Deputy Chief Fire Officer - runs a holiday-let housekeeping service with her mum June. Five years ago the Simpsons moved from St Stephen to Polgooth.
With an impressive sporting background herself, Jemma's mum June is understandably proud of her fleet-footed daughter. She told The Voice that Jemma is running better than ever before following her decision to train with her coach Mark Rowland in America. Jemma was joined on her stateside training session by her boyfriend and British 5,000m runner the rather dishy Chris Thompson.
June, who competed for Great Britain in the European and World karate championships, said: "Jemma's father and I are extremely proud of her achievements. When she told us she and her boyfriend Chris were going to follow her coach Mark Rowland to Oregon, we were delighted! We knew it would be a new chapter in her running career. She needed a good positive group to train with.
"Her coach has worked well on her foot, strengthening it over the winter so that her arch didn't collapse on impact like it did in the past. He's strengthened her whole body and now she's like a new athlete. She has a new found confidence and is very positive."
With Jemma looking strong both mentally and physically, June and Ted can't wait to watch her compete in Berlin next month.
June said: "She is running better than ever before and we are very excited about watching her in Berlin. We have bought tickets for the finals as well as the semis and, of course, the heats. Our tickets for the final are on the finish line so we'd be over joyed to see her there. We'll also be priviledged to see Usain Bolt in his final 100m. We can't wait."
