We catch up with the English 800m champion who is targeting the world under-20 1500m podium this month after a breakthrough summer

Ava Lloyd was reminded of the calibre of her training partners when she watched Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Bell secure European medals in Rome on her TV screen. (Since this article was written they have won Olympic medals in Paris too!).

However, having recently run inside the 1500m World Under-20 Championships qualifying time [4:15.00], the Wigan & District athlete, who turned 19 on August 13, is starting to make her own mark in the world of athletics. Lloyd ran 4:12.07 at the Watford BMC Grand Prix in June, knocking six seconds off her personal best and cementing herself as one of Britains rising stars. She previously placed 10th at the European Under-20 Championships in Jerusalem last year with 4:23.78, a mark she has now well surpassed.

Lloyd has also run 2:03.56 for 800m this season and her success has been boosted by training with middle-distance coach Trevor Painter and wife Jenny Meadows, the two-time world championships bronze medallist. This year, Lloyd has travelled to various training camps alongside top athletes such as Hodgkinson, Erin Wallace and Sarah Healy.

After admitting that she now looks forward to racing instead of worrying about times, she is starting to set her sights on being dangerous at those young athlete global age group championships in Lima from August 27-31.

How did you first get into athletics?

It wasnt until Year 7 that I did a cross country race and I won and beat all the boys. My mum had done athletics when she was younger and she used to train with Trevor, so she knew exactly who to call up. She asked if I could join in for one session at the weekends, and then I slowly became more attached to the group.

How did it feel to run a six-second 1500m PB at Watford?

I honestly had no idea what pace I was running that entire race, I was more focused on moving up the field. When I crossed the line and saw the time it was a bit of a sense of relief because I knew it had been coming in training. It had been so frustrating in my first two races of the season to not hit a time like that.

I expected to go under the World Under-20 qualifying time, but I didnt expect to go that far under! Last year for the European Under-20 Championships I was so worried about selection, and I was so hyper focused on my time whereas this year I am a lot calmer and more relaxed. Im really excited to start racing the races and not focus so much on the times.

What would it mean to go to the World Under-20 Championships?

Ive now realised that not only might I have the opportunity to make the World Under-20 Championships, but I will have the chance to be very competitive there. That is something that I was missing last year at the Europeans. I dont want to just go and be happy that Ive made it. I want to go and be competitive and be dangerous.

What is your relationship like with Trevor and Jenny?

They are so supportive, and they are a real team. They handle the emotional and mental side whilst also handling the statistical training side as well. To get the coaching side from Trevor and Jenny, who has obviously gone through it as an athlete, helps with the whole experience.

What is it like to train in such a successful group?

When everyone is there, there is no atmosphere quite like it and it feels like a family. I might not be hanging on to the girls as much as I would like to, or I might be quite far behind but then I have to put it into perspective and realise who I am training with. It is a bit weird sometimes, its nice to see them on TV and then remember I am training with this high level field of girls.

Its quite shocking how normal it is to train alongside someone like Keely. She is so consistent with getting all the major medals and you can just see how unrelenting it is. You can acknowledge how much work goes into those medals and staying at the top. Its lovely how normal she is, and you can just have a genuine conversation with her which is very inspiring.

What is it like to go on the training camps as a younger athlete?

I have taken a gap year to have the opportunity to go on more training camps. I have been on three this year, Font Romeu and South Africa twice. Font Romeu is where I like the longer stuff and that is where we really build our base. South Africa is where all the real work starts to happen, and you see how things start coming together for track races.

It is very gruelling because a lot of the time I am just chasing so its just acknowledging that you are at the back, but you are still doing well. Even though it is gruelling, it is a lot of fun, and it gives you a bit of independence because you are living with other athletes.

Who do you look up to and feel inspired by?

All the older girls in my group, such as Keely, Georgia Bell, Sarah Healy and Erin Wallace. There is just something about seeing how much hard work goes into their races and how it is not an easy task at all. The sessions arent always great, but it doesnt take being insane every single session to reach the top it takes being consistent and being determined to be at that level.

I also look up to Jessica Ennis because I remember being in primary school in 2012 and watching Super Saturday. Thats when I realised how big a sport athletics is.

Do you prefer 800m or 1500m?

When I was younger, I was adamant that I was an 800m runner and Trevor always disagreed and said I would be a 1500m runner. I thought that was impossible because the idea of running three and three-quarter laps when I was 13 felt like I was running a marathon.

I did get an 800m silver medal at the English Schools Championships but when I take a step back and look at the sessions I like more, it is the longer ones. I think Trevor might have had a point because the 1500m is my favourite now.

READ MORE: British team for World U20 Champs in Peru

What would Ava now say to young Ava when she first started?

You cant fail as long as you keep going. The most important thing is to keep going even though it is going to be hard and its not always going to go well. Nobody can take anything away from you as long as you stick in at it.