Name: Martyn Rooney
Age: 25
Event: Men’s 400m and 4x400m track and field.
Location: The Athletics Stadium Olympic Park, Stratford.
Time: Round 1 400m Saturday August 4 10.35am. Round 1 4x400m Thursday August 9 11.35am
Local Link: Born and raised in Croydon before moving to Loughborough.
Career Best: 44.6sec
Career High: Beijing 2008, Rooney reached the final, finishing in sixth place.
Sporting Background: Originally starting his athletics career as an 800m runner with Croydon Harriers, Rooney found his talent was best suited to 400m and went on to beat Roger Black’s junior record in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth games.
He says: "I believe I have forgotten about my old personal best and set another one in my head so, even if I run 44.6, I will know there is more to come," he said. "There are going to be so many guys running 44.6 this year, that’s not good enough to win a medal. "If I want to win a medal then I need to run faster, it’s very simple athletics."
We say: "Rooney has struggled to reproduce his Beijing form and will need to be at his best to make the final in the individual race. The 4x400m is a traditionally strong event for Britain and they will be targeting a medal."
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