ENGLAND’S leading stars have found ingenious ways to keep fit during lockdown.
SunSport’s exclusive set of photos show how some have adapted their training routines following the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Gymnast Courtney Tulloch won two gold medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Basketball player Dominique Allen was part of the English side that won a silver medal in the 2018 Games
Paralympic swimmer Alice Tai is a Paralympic, World, Commonwealth and European Champion
Gymnast Courtney Tulloch, para-swimmer Alice Tai and basketball player Dominique Allen have gone out of their comfort zone in recent months.
The trio are set to be important members of Team England at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, which start on July 28, 2022.
Tulloch, 24, said: “Gymnastics is a really difficult, if not virtually impossible, sport to replicate without access to all my usual equipment.
“In an odd way, I’ve kind of enjoyed the challenge of finding new ways to train.
“I’ve used my body more than ever and used household objects, or natural elements like trees in the park and outdoor spaces, to work on my strength and conditioning.
“It’s a relief the restrictions are starting to lift though because I have missed my Team England teammates.
England will be hoping Tulloch, 24, will bring home the medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
Tai, 21, burst on the scene in 2014 with a gold medal at the European Championships in Eindhoven
Allen has expressed her delight in the Commonwealth Games coming to Birmingham
“We have all kept in touch via social media to spur each other on but I can’t wait until we all meet up as we get ready for the Commonwealths.
“Team England includes athletes from all over the country, from all backgrounds and is the most representative team of England as it is today.”
Tai, 21, said: “As athletes we have all had to adapt.
“I haven’t been able to swim in a pool for a period of time so have done lots of land-based training at home and have even ventured out to the sea on the South Coast.
“Despite the sunshine, it was still a shock to the system to get into the water and very different from my normal training environment.”
Tulloch has spoken of how he has used trees and household objects to work on his strength and conditioning
Tai has revealed she has been swimming in the sea during lockdown
Allen was one of 12 players that represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games
Allen, 30, who is from Wordsley, said: “The city is buzzing that the Commonwealth Games are coming to town.
“I’ve no doubt we’ll create a whole host of new golden moments in Birmingham in two years’ time.
“This is a city and region that loves sport and the Birmingham fans will make the Games one of the best ever, especially for the English athletes competing in front of a home crowd.”
To follow the progress of Team England athletes please visit teamengland.org
Noah Lyles thought he destroyed Usain Bolt’s 200m record before discovering he only ran 185m in the wrong lane
Source: Athletics - thesun.co.uk
