BASILDON’S Sam Bennett claimed an outstanding bronze medal at his first UK Championships as he beat previous champion David King to snatch a podium place in Sunday's showpiece.
Now 22, Bennett has endured four years of injuries – including a tear on each hamstring – since winning the 2018 European Junior Championships.
But the former English Schools winner put his struggles behind him at Manchester’s Sportcity on Sunday, setting a lifetime best of 13.62sec in his heat to qualify behind World Championship finalist, Josh Zeller.
Bennett managed to go one better in the final, running another lifetime best of 13.46sec to pull ahead of GB internationals David King, Cameron Fillery, and Miguel Perera.
Following his medal presentation, the Basildon AC athlete said he had relished returning to elite competition, having completed a full outdoor season for the first time since he was 17.
He said: “It definitely, definitely feels new - I’ve been away for a while, and injury has become more normal than having an actual season, so [having a full season of competition] does feel new to me.
“I’m just making the best of being able to compete, because it was a luxury I took when I was younger.”
The former Southend High School for Boys student moved to Harvard University to begin his academic studies in the autumn of 2019, but injuries which had plagued his final outdoor season in the UK persisted until this year.
“I tore both my hamstrings, one left one right, and I had surgery on the right one, along with a number of other issues along the way – it’s been a constant battle.
“Each time I’ve been knocked off the horse I’ve got back up again, but that’s athletics - you have to be on top form.
“I’m just happy to be back and grateful to be running.”
Bennett will return to the USA later this year, although he is yet to announce which university he will be studying at.
Before then, however, priority will be placed on Bennett spending time with his family, who live in Langdon Hills.
“I’m going to be chilling – the next few weeks are a great opportunity to relax.
“My family are the people who have kept me going for the last five years - it’s been very difficult, even with their support.
“My coach in Basildon, Steve Surety, is someone who has instilled a lot of strength and kept me going all this way, especially when I lost my support from UK Athletics.
“My coach in the USA, Marc Mangiacotti, had to put up with the worst version of me for four years, and so did my family.
“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but I have to thank my physios who have stuck by me even when they haven’t had to.
“If it wasn’t for them I would be nowhere near where I am now.”
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