Olympic dream comes true

“It’s never too late to chase your dreams,” the words of North Devon athlete Phil Norman (right) who has flown out to compete in the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

He will be racing in the gruelling 3000m steeplechase for the Great Britain team. It hasn’t been the most conventional journey to compete on the world stage.

“I started the sport at 8 years old and then quit at 18,” Phil told Molton Monthly. “Many, including myself, would have thought my Olympic dream was over, but I decided to give it another shot at the age of 25.”

“Now, just over six years later at the age of 31, with a full time job and a baby boy on the way - I have finally achieved my dream.”

Phil Norman in his Great Britain Olympic team kit Photo: Getty Images/Team GB

Phil’s grandad, the late Fred Norman was born at Crossbury, near East Buckland, and his father Chris is himself a running coach and an official at North Devon Athletics Club.

“He has been training long and hard and in recent times, mainly alone,” said dad Chris. “It is great for North Devon Athletics Club to have role models like him.”

“It proves that you can still compete with the best, even living hundreds of miles from the big cities. We at the club are proud of the quality of athletes we have helped excel over the years, and will all be cheering for Phil in the 2021 Olympics!”

Phil has taken unpaid leave from his job as an Openreach engineer to focus on his training. “It has been far from easy. Many sacrifices have been made along the way,

Phil Norman in international steeplechase action (far left) Photo: Kowalsky/Team GB

not just by myself but my wife Coral and coach Tomaz,” added Phil before flying out to Japan to compete against the world’s best steeplechase runners. “Congratulations to everyone on their selection, every athlete works so hard to get to this moment. I want to thank everyone for their support throughout my journey, and I hope to do you all proud in the GB vest in Tokyo.”