Before we take a look at the success of sprinter Mabel Akande this year, we have some breaking news regarding her international career…
UK Athletics have announced that she will be on the Nike-supported ‘Futures’ programme for a second successive year. The Futures Programme is focused on supporting athletes and coaches who have demonstrated the potential to succeed at future Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Previous graduates who have excelled in 2024 include Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson; world indoor pole vault champion Molly Caudery; Olympic relay 4 x 400m relay bronze medallist and European 400m silver medallist Charlie Dobson; Olympic 4 x 100m relay bronze medallists Jeremiah Azu, Amber Anning, and Yemi Mary John; and European 5000m silver medallist George Mills.
Through a series of camps, experiences, and dedicated staff, the Programme provides opportunities for athletes to develop the skills and abilities required for international success and forms part of the pathway towards the World Class Programme (WCP).
Through a series of camps, experiences, and dedicated staff, the Programme provides opportunities for athletes to develop the skills and abilities required for international success and forms part of the pathway towards the World Class Programme (WCP).
You can read more about the programme here: https://www.britishathletics.org.uk/news-and-features/futures-programme-goes-from-strength-to-strength-in-2024/
Now – take a breath, and let’s look at Mabel’s 2024 so far (yes, so far!):
We’ll try and fit it all in, but it’s been a whirlwind year for our young sprinter, Mabel Akande 
To start the year, she became British Indoor Championship bronze medallist (behind Amy Hunt and Bianca Williams)
Then registering a 200m
and 60mat Northern Indoor Champs (with a competition record set over the 60m). She then took the title of U20 60m National Indoor Champion 
Mabel made her Team GB Jnr debut with 100m PB and an outing in the 4x100m relay. Next up was the Mannheim Gala, GER where she recorded her another PB! 
If the CV for 2024 wasn’t impressive enough, Mabel made it 
consecutive English Schools golds in a row (and we believe this could be a record). More success came at the U20 National Championships (where Mabel is just 17 years old) and gained automatic World Championships qualification and selection by winning 
At said World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, Mabel cruised through her heat in 1st place. Unfortunately she came unstuck in the semi-final, missing qualification to the final by 0.01s and 1 place! This gave her the status of 9th in the world at U20, as a first year in the age category! Finally, let’s top this off: and the small matter of signing with Blue Carpet Sports Management as well as Nike sponsorship! 
Where next, for our Mabel? 
