By Sam Green

DESPITE being in the business of running quickly, Thamesmead sprinter David Bolarinwa insists a slow and steady approach will see his career take off in 2011.

Bolarinwa burst onto the international scene last year, returning home with two medals to declare from the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

The 17-year-old was given a taste of the big time earlier this month when he was taken to the European indoor championships in Paris as part of his involvement on the Spar Sprints Programme.

Such was Bolarinwa’s rise in stock in 2010, a place at the London Games is deemed to be within his reach. But while itching to announce himself among GB’s top senior sprinters, Bolarinwa is also well aware of the perils of rushed transitions.

The athletics history books are littered with the stories of failed next big things and the Cambridge Harrier isn’t about to join that group.

“My winter training has gone well but it’s really a case of taking it step by step for me this season,” said Bolarinwa, who enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of the Bercy-Paris Sports Palace as part of his trip to the French capital.

“I’m not looking to do anything crazy, I’m just trying to progress in the way my body can progress. I’m not trying to run any crazy times, just keep steadily improving and hopefully I’ll make the senior competitions and not just the junior ones.

“The European U20s is the major championships for me but I’m just trying to stay consistent throughout the year, stay healthy and hope for personal bests and let the selectors do whatever they need to.

“If it’s senior competitions then great but otherwise I’ll just perform as best as I can in the juniors and keep progressing in the right direction.”

Bolarinwa was on hand to see senior GB number one Dwain Chambers win 60m silver at the European indoors in Paris but it was the performance of fellow 17-year-old sprinter Jodie Williams which caught his eye.

Williams defied her tender years to finish fourth in her debut senior international meet in the French capital, leaving Bolarinwa anxious to emulate her rapid rise to the top.

“The trip to the European indoors was great, we walked the same route that an athlete would if we were competing here, climbing up on the podium was fun and I really enjoyed sitting at the top table in the press conference room because I think I'm good with the press,” said Bolarinwa.

“I like Paris as an overall city, and just watching someone like Jodie Williams and she’s over here competing and making a final, and it’s inspires me to work harder to try and get in there.

“I’m not saying I can get there now but it’s somewhere I want to be, and a level I want to be at, so watching those guys just inspires me more.”

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