IN A shock move, with just over seven months to go until the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Trowbridge sprinter Danny Talbot has left his long-term coach Dan Cossins, writes Kevin Fahey.

Talbot has not only decided to part company with Cossins after almost 10 years together, but also relocate his training base from Bath to Loughborough.

The Trowbridge Tornado, who last season reached the semi-finals of the 200m at the World Championships and was second in the UK 200m rankings behind Zharnel Hughes, admits that many observers will see the decision as a gamble, with the Olympics so close.

But the 24-year-old, who has been living in Box, said the move was taken to realise his lifelong dream to make the Rio final and be in a position to challenge for a medal.

“It is a gamble and some people say it is a risk but to me, it doesn’t feel like such a big risk,” said Talbot.

“At this level, coaches are not dissimilar and I have been to training camps and seen the training that Linford Christie’s group and Steve Fudge’s group do, and it is not that different to what I have been doing with Dan.

“It is not that big a risk to make this change but it was giving me sleepless nights when I was in Tenerife (training) recently and was stressing me out.

“So I just decided to make the decision and go for it.”

Cossins said he harboured no ill feeling towards Talbot, whom he took on from St Augustine’s School as a gangly teenage sprinter and helped transform into a world class athlete.

But he feels that officials from UK Athletics had exerted pressure on him to move to Loughborough’s National Performance Institute and to work with a coach Benke Blomqvist of Sweden, who is supported by the federation.

However, Talbot stressed that wasn’t the case and he had been mulling over a change for a while.

“It was 100 per cent my decision to move,” he added. “I was not forced into making this decision by anyone and it was taken all on my own. As an athlete, we are all perfectionists and want to be the best we can possibly be.

“It was not that I was unhappy with Dan; it was just a gradual thing. I just didn’t want to get to the end of the year and have any regrets if I didn’t try to do something different.

“I have been at Bath for a long time and with Dan since breaking through in schools’ athletics. I think, for one reason or another, I have not improved as I wanted to do.

“I just felt I needed a new start to give myself a new stimulus and give myself something different to work with in a bid to make a big breakthrough this year.

“I am still on good terms with people in Bath as I have made a lot of really good friends there and my decision to move has nothing to do with anyone in particular or anything.

“I just wanted to give myself something extra this year and you only get one career, so I made the decision to go for a change.”

Ironically, Blomqvist is already working with former world 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene, who was previously based in Melksham and, like Talbot, trained at the University of Bath.

World indoor 60m champion Richard Kilty and GB international Harry Aikines-Aryeetey are also in his group, so Talbot will be working alongside some quality athletes, who are all determined to make the team for Rio.

That may just give him the extra impetus he is seeking to help him make the step from being a World Championships semi-finalist to a Rio finalist.

“I have been through a lot with Dan and I am very appreciative of what he has done for me and I would not be where I am without his help,” said Talbot.

“I have gone from Wiltshire Schools’ to World Championships with him and if I make it to Rio and reach the final, then Dan will be the guy who helped get me there.

“Everyone along the way has helped me, from my parents, to Dan, my friends and hopefully now Benke. I will be doing it for everyone in Rio.”

Cossins said: “Obviously, I am disappointed because after working with Danny for nine years and seven months, I would have liked to have had the opportunity to get him to the Olympics in Rio,” said Cossins.

“But I have built a successful career on the back of Danny, so there is no bitterness and I wish him well.”