Cloud Nine Devonish Talks City

Last updated : 01 August 2006 By Covsupport/ZC

Coventry City supporting sprinter Marlon Devonish is still on cloud nine after achieving the unique 100m/200m sprint double at the recent AAA athletics championships.

Covsupport caught up with the Olympic relay gold medallist during last Friday's Norwich Union London Grand Prix. It was a bad night for the British male sprinters. None of the seven, including Devonish, featured in the 100m final which was won easily by world record holder Asafa Powell.

Earlier, Devonish was top Brit in the 200m, finishing 6th in 20.85secs, ahead of Tim Abeyie and Rikki Fifton.

Tyson Gay caused an upset when eased past red-hot pre-race favourites and fellow Americans Xavier ‘X-Man' Carter, who ran the second fastest over the half-track distance of all time (19.63secs) in Lausanne two weeks ago, and Wallace Spearmon to victory in a stunning 19.84secs – slicing one hundredth of a second from the previous record set by Johnson 16 years ago at the Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh.

Devonish told Covsupport: "It wasn't the most spectacular performance tonight but I'm not really concerned. My main aim is the European Championships 200m. I like to run a bit better but it doesn't all mean much to me.

“I'm still on cloud nine after winning the AAA double. I still have to get over that emotionally and physically. It took 17 years since Linford Christie last did it. He was a step ahead of the rest while mine was close. It was really hard for me and I had to work hard and mentally. It was jarring so I'm still getting over that.”

So how well will City do this season?: “Well, That's a big question!”

On the McSheffery will he stay or go to Birmingham City saga he comments: “You can't ask me those questions so I don't know! I choose not to answer that! “We do need a player of his quality and we do need him to stay. He's a Cov lad and need more Cov lads in the team – the more the better. It's all about love for the club.

In our last interview, the Coventry Godiva athlete wanted to help the team out with their speed and fitness. He's still waiting for that call: “Hopefully In the future I love to do some work with City to help get their speed up. If that going to happen I don't know.”

Devonish is a big fan of Ricoh Arena: “I have been to the Ricoh a few times and I love it. It's a Premiership stadium so we need to get into the Premiership with a Premiership team. It's up to the players and management to get there.”