Shaquille Carroll

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Name:Shaquille Carroll

Sex: Female

D.O.B 26/06/1994

Lives: East London

Shaquille has always shown talent for running distances where stamina comes into play. As early as 7yrs old, Shaquille showed that she was gifted with remarkable stamina at a Watford minors meeting on the 9th of June, 2002. She competed in the U/9 400m and came 2nd in the race (to a boy) in a time of 1.34. Running across the track to the start of the next race after the 400m and after a quick throw in the cricket ball-throwing competition(7.95M), Shaquille competed in the U/11 600m race (I estimated she had a minute and a half break between races if you don't count the throw. She finished in 8th place in a time of 2.25.6, the first U/9 runner (boy or girl) home with the seven places above her falling to U/11 competitors. She also jumped 2.72 in the long jump that day.

Full results can be found here http://www.watfordharriers.org.uk/Minorsevent090602.htm (Courtesy of the Watford Harriers Athletics Club)

Winning the 1500m race (all age groups) at the London Adventist Games held at the Copthall Stadium in July 2005 however, was her first victory in a competitive race (the race included women of all age groups from over 18 churches from all over London and the South East of England).

At the end of August 2005, Shaquille took part in the Norwich Union Star:Track programme run at the Mile End Stadium, East London. This programme was run from 22/08/2005 to the 26/08/2005 and was organised and coached by the Victoria Park Harrier & Tower Hamlets Athletics Club, a club she joined on the second day of the programme.

On Sunday the 28th of August, Shaquille took part in a 3000m race in which she was the only female (7 other males, mostly seniors) on a warm late summers afternoon. A report of the race is written below...... (courtesy the VPH&TH AC club magazine (Sept issue) found here http://www.vphthac.org.uk/VPHNewsSep05.doc

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London Heathside Open Meet, Finsbury Park, 28 Aug 05 3000m Shaquille Carroll 12:13.1 8th overall/1st female (Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets AC Club U15 record & 5th on the clubs all-time list for 3000m (Women.)

Rohan Omard reports: I'm sure you all remember Shaquille Carroll from the Norwich Union Star Track program that was recently run at Mile End. Shaquille went to the London Heathside Open Meeting and competed in the 3000m metres with seven other athletes, all male. It was the first time she had ever run the distance and she got confused with how many laps she had to do, expending a lot of energy on the 6th lap which she thought was the last, only to be told she had one more lap to go. Nonetheless, she soldiered on and finished the race. It was her first run in the vest of VPH&THAC and I think for her age she did really well, so please let her know when you see her. Hope to see you all soon at training!

Full result of the race (courtesy of the London Heathside AC) can be found here http://www.londonheathside.org.uk/competition/open_meetings/28th_August_2005.php

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That one run has placed her 2nd on the clubs 2005 female ranking lists over 3000m, for all age groups and well as the U/13 and U/15 record holder and 5th on the clubs all time list in terms of time, all this at the tender age of 11 yrs old.

Recently Shaquille competed in the district (Tower Hamlets) cross country races for her school (Bethnal Green Technology College) in the year 7 age group (mixed gender race) over 2.8 km and won the girls part of the race - the 1st girl home and third in the race overall. She also help Tower Hamlets Year 7 girls to the silver medal in the Olympic boroughs Schools Cross Country Relay Challenge held at the Eastway cycle track on 08/12/2005 She hopes to be taking part in the Mini Marathon next year 2006, as well as the county (Middlesex)and if she qualifies, inter-county and national cross country championships, before moving on to the NYAL league in the summer athletics season.

Shaquille is facing a handicap however, as UK athletics rules will not allow her compete at anything over 1500m in the NYAL/NJL until she is over 15 years old, a distance which for her is too short to show her at her best. To quote Shaquille "I'm only just getting into it and the race is finished" she has said with some chagrin. We can only hope that the powers that run UK/British Athletics either change their rules to allow talented runners to hone their competitive edge in meaningful races over adequate distances, as long as they can achieve a recognised standard time for entry, or we may have to apply for a special license to the UKA Board, for Shaquille to run in the longer distance races if she is to realise her dream. As things stand now, runners from the top middle to long distance countries (such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Morocco etc..) do not suffer such a handicap and their young runners use those years of unfettered development to devastating effect when it comes to major championships - how old was the winner of the 2005 Olympic 5000 & 1000 women's gold medals???!.

Her stated ambition is to be selected to run in the London Olympics 2012 over 5000 & 10000m and given a fair crack of the whip, who is to say that she wont be there?

Watch this space...................