Wigan sprinter Elliot Jones enjoys whirlwind Commonwealth Games debut after late call-up
Wigan sprinter Elliot Jones has made his Commonwealth Games debut!
Elliot Jones swapped the Champions League for Commonwealth speed on a dramatic debut in Glasgow.
The Wigan sprint star, 28, was a late call-up for the Games after the sudden withdrawal of Louie Hinchliffe on Friday.
Jones faced an eleventh-hour scramble from his Loughborough base to get up to Scotland in time but showed no signs of fatigue in his 100m heat, running a season’s best time of 10.07 and booking his place in the semi-finals.
Away from the track, Jones works in the venue operations team at UEFA, attending Champions League and Europa League matches at grounds including the Emirates, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and St James’ Park.
Jones’ responsibilities include organising accreditation, putting up signage and facilitating access – a job he has done for the last five years.
The diehard Wigan Athletic fan loves juggling those responsibilities with his sprinting career and is taking it all in his stride after a whirlwind few days of preparation.
“It’s been incredible – I only got the call-up late and found out on Friday,” he said.
“My parents and girlfriend have been scrambling around trying to get tickets and hotels, which are crazy prices.
“It’s super exciting for any athlete – to do it on this stage in front of a home crowd is incredible.
“I wanted to just try and enjoy it, and when you enjoy it, you run your best times - that was my fastest time of the year.
“It’s absolutely incredible – the national pride I have to be from this country is so high, so to be able to represent them in front of a home crowd means the world.
“Working at UEFA is incredible – the atmosphere I heard for the Champions League at St James’ Park was the best thing I’ve ever experienced. The Geordies can make some noise! I’ve never spoken to them about it – but there’s not a footballer who could touch me on the track!”
Jones comes from a football-mad family and his dad, Ed, was a media executive at Wigan for 12 years who now works as a match manager for the Premier League. His mum is a teaching assistant while his girlfriend works in insurance.
They are all here roaring him on and Jones, who qualified third fastest at Glasgow Warriors’ Scotstoun Stadium, is determined to do them all proud.
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“I’m going to take every international call-up I get and show what I can do,” he said.
“Hopefully I can go again today and run even quicker.
“I’m going to use this as a platform – the Olympics is the target, it’s every athlete’s dream to do that so touch wood I’ll be there one day.”
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