Tokyo 2020: Former Doncaster coach 'never had any doubt' in sprint star Beth Dobbin
Sprotbrough’s 200m sprinter Dobbin – a former British champion and European Championship finalist – will make her Olympic debut in Tokyo on Monday.
The 27-year-old has overcome epilepsy and, prior to turning professional in 2018, was working 40 hours a week to self-fund her sporting dreams.
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Hide AdJohn Blackshaw remembers Dobbin as a self-doubting girl who came to train with him at Doncaster Athletic Club at the Keepmoat Stadium – but her determination was second to none.
“She was just a raw youngster, the same as they all are at that age,” Blackshaw told Sportsbeat.
“A little bit nervous, a bit ‘Am I good enough?’ sort of thing, but I’ll tell you what – I never had any doubt.
“She was one of the easiest young adults I’ve ever had to train.
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Hide Ad“Beth always had the determination to do what she wanted to do. If I turned around and said I was training at six o’clock on a Sunday morning, Beth would have been there.
"As she got older and she had to deal with her epilepsy, we cut back the training when she knew she wasn’t in a good spot and on nights where she was, we added a little bit more,” he added.
“She was quite happy to go through that process.”