Mensah Elliott British & World Masters Champion - Athletics

Mensah's story is inspiring. A high-potential athlete in his 20's, his sporting career looked to be over following the 2002 Commonwealth Games when injuries and a lack of funds to treat them forced him out of athletics.

After several years on the sidelines Mensah decided that he wanted to compete again and at the age of 35 he won a silver medal at the 2012 World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships and two years later he won silver at the 2014 European Masters Athletics Indoor Championships.

Mensah has gone from strength to strength ever since. In 2016 he won the British Championships, setting a Championship record of 8.02 s in the 60 meter hurdles (60mH). He went on to run the second fastest time in the world in the Masters category when winning the 60mH at the European Masters Athletics Indoor Championships in Ancona, Italy. Mensah also won the Bronze medal in the 60m sprints at the same Championships.

During the Outdoor season, Mensah won the 110mH in his age group (M40) at the British Championships setting a new British record of 14.26 s, ending the 2016 season ranking World No. 1 for both the 60mH and 110mH.

In 2017 Mensah picked up where he left off and again won the British Masters Championships before going on to win at the World Masters Championships in a personal best time of 7.93 s, narrowly missing out of the world record (7.85s). He also won gold at the 4x200m relay and a bronze at the 60m sprints.

This year sees Mensah travel to Madrid for the European Masters Indoor Championships in March and to Malaga for the World Masters Outdoor Championships in September. Mensah is ranked World No. 2 and Great Britain No. 1 for the 60 m sprints and World No. 1 in the sprint hurdles. His aim is to bring back the gold medals in both events.

"I am enjoying my sport even more now than ever before. I am running comparable times to when I was a 20 year old and I feel that i can get even faster as I progress, especially with the right nutrition. I manage to fit all my training around my family (wife and two kids, 15 & 9), as well as being a full time Police Sergeant in the Met. I am also an athletics Coach and I find satisfaction in passing on my knowledge and expertise to the younger generation.

It is not always easy trying to joggle all this together and to maintain the balance but my training keeps me focused on everything I do."

Facebook: @risewithME110mH

Instagram: www.instagram.com/memsah.elliott

Age: 41

Occupation: Police Officer

Sport: Track and Field Athletics - Sprint and Hurdles

Pre-race Ritual: I like to get to the track early so that I can 'Walk the track' and visualize my race. I always do the same routine just before settling into my starting blocks; a quick slap on the thighs, stretch of the hamstrings, take a deep breath and slowly release as I remind myself to relax and have fun.

Favourite Cheat Food: Thai Green Curry and Chocolates

Favourite Form of Cross Training: Yoga

Career Highlights:

2002 - Representing England in the Manchester Commonwealth Games
2012 - 2nd at my first Masters Championships (60mH) in Jyvaskyla, Finland
2015 - 2nd European Masters Indoors, Torun, Poland
2016 - Age group World record holder (60mH), Ranked World #1 in 60 mH and 110 mH
2017 - 1st World Masters Indoors (60mH), Daegu, South Korea