Ellie bides her time before great leap over the Atlantic

Current COVID-19 regulations mean it’s uncertain when 17-year-old Ellie will get to head stateside, or when she may compete again on the track. But her dad Steve said it would hopefully prove to be an “exciting” and “kind of life-changing” opportunity.

Ellie has held numerous records and won various championship titles in long jump and triple jump – indoor and outdoor – at various age levels during her career.

She was initially approached by Harvard’s track and field coach, although she’s on an academic scholarship.

Her SAT (scholastic aptitude test) score was fairly high but it was her extra curricular which got her in, said Steve.

“They flew her over and she had a number of interviews and a look round the campus. That all went well and she received her offer.

“She was looking forward to an amazing experience, especially in her first year, but that has been unfortunately taken away and she is now unsure what will happen,” he added. “There seems little doubt she will still be going, with regular reassuring Zoom meetings taking place, but it is unclear how her first year will take shape, or even if she will go over for her first year, which would be a real blow to her.”

Like many sportspeople, Ellie has found motivation difficult during the pandemic lockdown, with no races on the horizon and uncertainty over when any events might take place, at home or internationally.

However, the terrain near her home enables her to keep up with sprint training, bounding training and hills practice.

A member of Live Borders Athlete Support Programme (ASP), and soon to leave Peebles High School, she has been allowed to borrow equipment from the small weights gym at the Gytes Centre in Peebles for home use.

“She still has the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 to aim for,” said Steve.

“She’ll be 19 by then, so that’s a realistic target. But a lot of things could change by then, obviously.

“Now that she can train one to one with her coach, and also train with one other person, her training should pick up a bit and she will enjoy it more, so cause for optimism and positivity going forward.

“She’s had so many body blows but I’m proud of her resilience.

“She’ll get there, I’m sure.”