Sheffield pole vaulter Adam Hague keeps head up after injuries ruin Tokyo Olympics chance

The Hermes courier by day was unable to deliver the performance needed at the British Championships in Manchester last weekend – the final Olympic qualifying event for British athletics – after just one week back in training following a double injury which stopped him competing for two months.

Adam, 23, who is a member of Sheffield and Dearne Athletics Club, hurt his groin during a training session then picked up an injury to his knee. Both knocks kept him out for a fortnight.

Still, he managed to finished second in Manchester behind Olympic qualifier Harry Coppell.

“I feel alright,” he said, “I’m a bit disappointed I didn’t make the team but it’s been a really tough season with Covid and injuries.

"No injury is good for timing but the fact we were two or three weeks away from the trials wasn’t good.

"I just want to crack on now I’m injury free and get some sort of season together.”

Kimberworth-based Adam joked there’s “only three years” until the next Olympics but before Paris 2024 he will have the chance to qualify for the 2022 World Athletics Championships, European Athletics Championships and the Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Birmingham.

He said: "Next year is a big competition year. It would be amazing to make three teams in a year. Hopefully I can crack on now and keep healthy and it all comes together.”