Harrow (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Sienna Joseph, the 11-year-old Harrow sprinter is making waves in UK athletics, breaking club records and ranking 2nd nationally in her age group.
She just broke the club record in a 60-meter indoor sprint with a personal best time of 8.04 seconds.
She is now ranked first in Middlesex and second in the UK for the under-13 division. She hopes to break even more records as the outdoor season approaches.
Sienna’s sports career started out in an unexpected way. “It all began with a straightforward visit to the miniature golf facility adjacent to Bannisters.
Her mother said, “There’s a track here—shall we have a look?” as she saw the athletics track close by while I was playing. When we inquired about if they operated any clubs, we were informed that there was a lengthy waiting list.
“She’s really fast and loves running,” her mother said.
“A couple of weeks later, I got a call inviting me to try out for the beginners’ sprint group.
From the moment I stepped onto the track, I loved it! It didn’t take long before I was moved up to the intermediate sprint group. After training for a few months, I competed in the Middlesex Young Athletes League (MYAL), representing Harrow AC.
My performances caught the attention of the coaches, and I was soon moved up to the advanced sprint group, training with the MBS elite squad under the guidance of coaches Rohan Samuel and Richard Carr. That’s when things really took off!”,
she said.
Balancing athletics and school requires a structured routine.
“She gets home from school around 3:30pm, giving her just enough time to recharge before training. In that gap, she makes sure to eat something nutritious and completes any homework set for the day—this way, it doesn’t pile up”,
says her mum, Kara.
Being organised is key to managing her busy schedule, so she always packs her training bag the night before. Inside, she keeps everything she needs: her trainers, spikes, resistance bands, roller, stopwatch, and her all-important notebook, where she tracks her progress and training details.
She trains with the MBS elite squad three times a week, working on her speed, strength, and technique with top-level coaches.
In addition to sprinting, she is also part of an advanced gymnastics squad, where she continues to develop her tumbling skills.
On top of that, she really enjoys attending her dance classes, which allow her to express herself and improve her agility and coordination. Despite her demanding schedule,
Sienna stays on top of her schoolwork by sticking to her routine, ensuring she’s always prepared both academically and athletically.
It was a proud moment for her to reach her personal best. When Sienna set her personal bests in her most recent races, she was ecstatic.
She was ecstatic when she watched the clock stop at 8.04 seconds in her most recent 60-meter race. She realized right away that she had finished second in the UK for the U13 age group, which is quite an accomplishment given that she is only 11 years old.
“What made it even more special was finding out later that she had also broken the club record, something she hadn’t even realised at the time.
Sienna always believed in her potential to rank highly, but actually seeing it happen was an incredible feeling. Now, her focus is on maintaining that level by continuing to train hard, stay disciplined, and keep pushing herself to improve”,
mother added.
Looking ahead, Sienna is focused on achieving new milestones. In the upcoming outdoor season, she wants to continue improving her times and setting more personal bests.
Just yesterday, she ran a sub-13 second 100m, a huge achievement, but she’s determined to bring that time down even further. In the 200m, she clocked 27.02 seconds, and her next big goal is to break the 27-second barrier.
Her short-term target is to medal at the Middlesex Championships, proving herself against top competition.
What are the common challenges for the young sprinters?
Being a young competitor can put a lot of pressure on oneself to perform well, which can cause anxiety and anxiousness before races.
As they hone their abilities and push themselves, young athletes frequently sustain injuries. Among these are sprains or strains that could make training and competing more difficult.
It might be intimidating for young athletes to go from practice to competition since they have to become used to the changing conditions and higher stakes of racing.
For young athletes, balancing coursework, practice, and contests can be difficult, necessitating strong time management abilities.
Setbacks or losses in early tournaments might affect a young athlete’s confidence and drive to keep competing.