Athletics

Supporting the Development of Elite British Sprinters

From 2005 to 2007, Roberto worked at the English Institute of Sport, where he played a pivotal role in supporting some of Britain’s most promising young athletes. Through targeted psychological support, he helped these rising stars build the mindset and resilience needed for elite performance.

During this time, two standouts emerged — Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Jeanette Kwakye — both of whom went on to achieve extraordinary success on the international stage.

Guiding a Rising Sprinting Star: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

One of the most notable athletes Roberto supported was teenage sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey. In 2005, Harry earned national recognition by winning the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.

That same year, he stunned the world at the World Youth Championships in Marrakech, where he made history. At just 17 years old, Harry became the first athlete ever to win both the 100m and 200m events at the championships — a remarkable sprint double. As a result of his performances, he also received the IAAF Rising Star Award, confirming his potential as a future global star.

Building Speed and Confidence: Jeanette Kwakye

At the same time, Roberto also worked with sprinter Jeanette Kwakye, who was already showing signs of greatness. Earlier in her career, Jeanette won bronze in the 4×100m relay at the 2002 World Junior Championships. However, her progress didn’t stop there. By 2007, she had broken through on the senior stage. At the European Indoor Championships, she finished fourth in the 60m final. Importantly, her semi-final time of 7.17 seconds was the fastest by a British woman since 1986, making it a significant personal and national milestone.

A Championship Weekend to Remember

Later that year, Jeanette continued her rise by becoming the British 100m Champion. She clocked 11.59 seconds to edge out Laura Turner and defending champion Joice Maduaka in a tightly contested final.

What’s more, the following day, she returned to the track and secured the 200m title as well. She outpaced elite sprinters Emily Freeman and Donna Fraser, who took silver and bronze, respectively. Altogether, this dominant weekend cemented her status as one of Britain’s top female sprinters.

Olympic Highlights: Beijing 2008

Record-Breaking Start to the Olympic Year

In early 2008, Jeanette reached new heights at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia. In her semi-final, she equalled Bev Kinch’s British 60m record of 7.13 seconds. Then, in the final, she produced a stunning 7.08-second sprint, breaking the national record and earning the silver medal. Only American Angela Williams, who won in 7.06, ran faster.

As a result, Jeanette was ranked second in the world for the 60m that year — a remarkable achievement heading into the Olympics.

On 12 July 2008, Jeanette defended her British 100m title and simultaneously won the Olympic trials, running 11.26 seconds — matching her personal best. Consequently, she secured automatic selection for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Progressing Through Every Round

At the Olympics, Jeanette opened strong. In the 100m heats, she finished second behind Torri Edwards, clocking 11.30 seconds to advance confidently to the quarter-finals. In the next round, she placed third, trailing only Shelly-Ann Fraser and Evgeniya Polyakova, but still qualified for the semi-final.

Then, on 17 August, she delivered a powerful 11.19-second run in the semi-final, finishing third once again — and making history.

Making History in the 100m Final

Jeanette became the first British woman since Heather Oakes in 1984 to reach an Olympic 100m final. Even more impressively, she was the only European sprinter in that final — a huge accomplishment given the strength of the international field. In the final, she ran a new personal best of 11.14 seconds, finishing sixth overall. She finished ahead of Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie (Bahamas) and Torri Edwards (USA), confirming her status as one of the world’s elite sprinters.

Disappointment in the 4×100m Relay

Team GB also reached the final of the women’s 4×100m relay, with Jeanette running a strong opening bend. However, a baton exchange error between Montell Douglas and Emily Freeman led to a disappointing did not finish (DNF) result for Great Britain. Interestingly, the Jamaican team, who were strong medal favourites, suffered a similar fate after a handover error between Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart.