Hurdler taking TikTok moves to start line at Worldspublished at 11:32 BST
11:32 BST
Men’s 400m hurdles heats
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How Derbyshire’s iconic introductions gave him the power to be himself on the track
Seamus Derbyshire might not be a household name, but you may well ave seen him, with the Britsh 400m hurdler going viral on TikTok for his starting line theatrics at July’s Diamond League meet in London.
Upon hearing his name, the 25-year-old emulated the character Glinda’s ‘toss toss’ of her hair from the film Wicked, before showing the camera with kisses and a love heart. The rest is history.
His pre-race routines are “never pre-planned”, nor did he begin then with social media fame in mind. Rather, it is part of his commitment to being his “authentic self” after years of battling anxiety around competitions.
Now enjoying his most successful season to date, including becoming the fifth-fastest British man over 400m hurdles in July, he is ready for his first World Championships.
“Last year, I had a really tough year. No matter how ready I was physically, mentally I wasn’t,” he told BBC Sport. “Being my authentic self has brought me to a point where I feel comfortable again.
“My main target has been to get back competing and back to a place of enjoyment. Moments like this don’t come around too often. I really want to relish it.”
You can read the full interview here.
AloJapan.com