My Name is Coach Eliza and I have been a coach at Athletics Academy since 2023. I grew up in the outskirts of London and moved to Abu Dhabi in 2022. Growing up, I competed in many sports but my main focus was always swimming and running. During my teens, I was selected to train and compete for my London Borough squad in Swimming, which took me to Regional and National competitions, and I was the distract champion for 1500m and Cross-country between 2001 and 2004, whilst also being in the top 4 in the county for these events.

My highlight was winning the London Youth Games in 2004 and 2005 for the Aquathlon event (swim and run). The training was intense but it taught me discipline and resilience; I am a strong advocate that the benefits of sport participation are as much about the mental benefit as the physical! Whilst these are individual events, the support and team spirit that comes with belonging to a club, as well as the positive environment this creates, is something that I still value. It is a culture that I try replicate with the athletes that I work with - one where everyone’s helps to bring out the best in one another.

There were so many noteworthy athletes and accolades during my formative years, but some that stand out are Paula Radcliffe, Usain Bolt and Mo Farah, the latter of which I was fortunate enough to see compete at the 2012 London Olympic Games. All overcame hardships, but their focus and dedication enabled them to overcome odds and leave an inspirational legacy for generations to come. They were a huge influence to many athletes and continue to inspire me as a coach.