16 February 2015 

Aled Davies (coach: Ryan Spencer-Jones) continued his impressive start to 2015 with his third consecutive personal best in as many competitions at the Sainsbury’s Indoor British Championships last weekend. 

The Welshman, widely known as ‘The Bear’ has shed over 20kg since winning double European gold in Swansea in the summer and has gone from strength-to-strength ever since. The 23 year old hit the ground running last month in Cardiff throwing a new personal best of 15.53m before going on to throw three centimetres further in the Welsh capital two weeks later. However, it was his performance last weekend that stood out with Davies managing a best throw of 15.93m and in the process setting an unofficial World Indoor record.

Understandably delighted, Davies said: “It’s only my third competition of the year and it is my third personal best so I’m thrilled with that. I wanted 16m so there is a slight disappointment there but I can’t complain as I threw two big throws.

“I’m still learning the event and I’m going out to warm weather training in Arizona soon so I’m hoping to come back ready for the Loughborough international (in May). The World Athletics Centre is a very prestigious place with some great coaches and it’ll be good to train alongside them.”

The double World and European champion made the long trip from South Wales to South Yorkshire to join Britain’s best throwers and the experience of his maiden Sainsbury’s Indoor British Championships is one that he’ll remember for all the right reasons.

“It’s an honour to come here and compete alongside the able-bodied guys and with all the changes over the last few months, I just wanted to come here and see what I had. It’s exciting because I feel I’ve still got a lot more to give so I’m looking forward to the summer,” added Davies, who won discus gold and shot put bronze at London 2012.  

"It’s phenomenal to see so many people come out and support athletics especially the throws when it was on so early in the programme. There’s a lot of aggression in the shot put and the guys out there thrive off atmosphere. They play a massive part because at the end of the day we want to deliver a great show for them.”

While Davies has gone through a number of changes over the winter including a new coach and technical changes, the focus of winning another world title is never stronger, after finishing behind Dan Greaves (Jim Edwards) at the Commonwealth Games in July.

“I’d like to defend my two (IPC) World Championship titles in Doha next year and come home with two gold medals but the long term aim is to go for Paralympic shot put gold in Rio. I’m going to make sure I am in the best position possible to be a contender for that gold medal in Brazil.”

Follow Aled on his way to the defence of his world title on Twitter here