At the start of 2014, pole vaulter Holly Bleasdale was one of Team GB's main medal hopes for the Commonwealth Games and European Championships.
However, fitness concerns forced the 23-year-old to withdraw from both events, with Bleasdale taking the option to rest ahead of the 2015 season.
Here, Sports Mole caught up with the Preston-born athlete to discuss her recovery and return to competitive action, as well as the next Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
You took the decision to not participate during the outdoor part of the season for the good of your career. How is your fitness coming along?
"It's good. It appears now more than ever what a good decision it was [to have some time off]. I'm fit, healthy and I'm getting quicker and stronger. I'm building some really good fitness ahead of what is going to be a really important year for me."
Did you receive any criticism for taking that decision? After all, we have a tendency in this country to criticise youngsters that are in need of a rest, just like Raheem Sterling while on international duty with the England football team.
"Not directly, but I heard a few people saying that they didn't understand it. I could have quite easily gone to the Commonwealth Games and done well and the same with the Europeans. Why would I take the rest? I know my body, though. I had long conversations with my family, the medical team and my coach [and] we knew it was the right decision for me. In pole vault, when you look at the women and even the men, they are jumping personal bests at the age of 34. Records are being broken at that age as well.
"The older you get, the wiser you are because you've done more jumps. It's such a technical sport - the more you do it, the better you get. There was no point in me pushing for this season when I've got so many more years ahead. I might have another 10 years left in me, which is potentially three Olympics. The pros of not doing the 2014 outdoor season massively outweighed the cons."
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Had you competed at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships, there is every chance that you would have won medals. Does that give you confidence that the sport has not moved on too much in your absence?
"I was speaking about this with my husband recently and he mentioned that it was good that the sport hasn't moved on. It's bittersweet really because although it's not moved on, I could have won medals this summer. It was a decision we made, though, and it gives me confidence. I jumped 4.73m indoors when I was struggling for fitness and it's still third in the world now, even with the outdoor heights. When I'm back fit and healthy, I'll hopefully be challenging with the top three girls in the world."
Looking ahead to 2015, what is the aim? Or you hoping to win a medal at the Beijing World Championships? Or is it just about staying fit and healthy?
"The main aim is to stay fit and healthy, but I think we've got that nailed down now. I've struggled with one injury that had been lingering, but that's out of my head. I'm looking to regain fitness. I want to be successful at the Beijing World Championships. At previous World Champs, I've either not been there or underperformed, so doing well there is my major target, apart from staying fit and well."
With your fitness in mind, have you had to make any alterations to your training programme?
"We have changed a few little things, such as technique. In 2012, going from the training programme that I had to my new one, which was much more intense with more running and impact, that started the injury. I'm now in a process that is something in the middle. It's tougher than 2012, but not as much as after that. The programme is really good. It keeps me fit and healthy."
Of course, Rio 2016 is coming along fast. Are your preparations already underway?
"This is the start of the preparations. Everything that is going to happen in 2015 will have a purpose for Rio. I'm not doing anything that would risk my potential success in Rio. Anything that could harm my chances, my coach and I have decided we won't do it. I want to be successful in Beijing, but it's a stepping stone to the ultimate goal, which is the Olympics. I'm looking to use the Worlds to help gain some form and build up confidence."
What are your aspirations for Rio? Is it about getting on the podium, or will you be aiming for gold?
"Deep down, I want to go there and get on the podium. It would be an absolute dream to win there, but there are lots of good girls out there at the moment. I feel like if I'm on form and if I can make the necessary improvements over the next couple of years, then [winning gold] is not out of the question."
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You finished sixth at the Olympics in London. How much of a vital experience was that for you looking ahead to Rio?
"It was an amazing experience - probably the most I've learnt from any competition. To be in those conditions and being pretty underprepared, I gained a lot. I know what it's like to be in front of such a big crowd at an Olympics. It's something that I needed. I'm hoping to compete for another 10 years, which potentially means plenty more Olympics. I'll be 32 in 2024, so I don't see why I cannot be peaking at those Games. It's another reason why the decision to take this year out was a sensible one."
How difficult was it to cope with the pressure of performing at a Games in front of a home crowd?
"It was hard because it had all been built up, especially because it was in my home country. I'd jumped on to the scene earlier in the year with my 4.87m so people were thinking that I was going to be up there winning a medal. It was a lot of pressure to handle. That is one of the things that I learnt there - how to deal with that and focus on myself. That has helped me because if I'm jumping well, I'll have that pressure in the future. London was a great learning curve for me, which should make me jump better in the future."
Will it perhaps be easier to perform in Rio, without that crowd pressure?
"I guess so. There was a lot of external pressure in London. I went there to experience it. At no point in my head did I believe that I was going to win a medal. I knew what it took to be an Olympic medallist and I wasn't there yet. I wasn't ready. Now and looking at Rio, I'm at a point where I feel that an Olympic medal is not out of my grasp. That creates pressure from within, by I'm coping with that and I have a good psychologist to help with that. Hopefully, I'll be in a good place in Rio."
As you still have plenty of years left to reach your prime, does the 5m mark seem like a realistic target for you to aim for?
"It does. It's easy to say that it's within my reach, but over the next 10 years I'm going to learn more, as well as get much more fitter and wiser. I don't see why I can't be the third girl to jump over the 5m barrier. I'm not obsessed with it - I just want to jump as high I can and I don't know where that is, but clearing 5m along with becoming an Olympic champion, those are my dreams."
Why not combine the two?!
"That would be ideal! I've been speaking with Sir Chris Hoy and he said that at the age of 14 he wrote down on a piece of paper that he wanted to be an Olympic champion. That's been my dream as well since I was young - to be the best that I can be at a sport. I used to play football and gymnastics, but neither made me believe that I could be that good, but pole vault has."
You're a part of the Sky Academy Sports Scholarships scheme. How much does that help you to progress and develop?
"It really does help. The financial backing and funding help me out with warm weather trips and things like that. The talk we had with Chris Hoy was majorly inspirational. You get to experience things that you would never have experienced otherwise and I really am very lucky to be a part of something like this."
Holly Bleasdale is supported by the Sky Academy Sports Scholarships scheme, helping 11 young athletes fulfil their potential with tailored support including funding and mentoring - http://www.skysports.com/scholarships.
Liam Apicella
