Emma Nwofor: The Road to Los Angeles

First things first, how come you didn’t follow in your Dad’s footsteps? Didn’t fancy being a project manager?!

Haha! Perhaps not for me, but funnily enough, I recently found out that one of my training partner’s friends works for my Dad. What a small world. I hear my dad's really good at what he does, and I love hearing stories about him in a professional sense.

So, you’re in the US right now. How you getting on?

I’m doing great, thank you. I’m halfway through a training camp at Ohio State University, training with track & field coach Joel Brown, and working really hard on the technical aspects of hurdling. It’s an interesting change, as back in the UK, Linford and I mostly concentrate on strength, fitness, and speed.

Hang on a minute. Linford? Linford Christie?

Yes, that’s right! Linford is a bit like my second Dad!

Wow! Sorry, you were saying…

Yes, I’ve been working really hard with the coach. Actually, when I got here, I managed to quickly catch some sort of mega-flu. It wasn’t good. I lay in bed for a few days and thought, “Please don’t tell me this is how the next few months are going to go.”

But my coach really honed in on the fact that I don’t have a lot of time over here, and I had to recover really well before I got back to training.

He’s been great for the mental side of my running. We’ve been working on pushing limits, pushing boundaries, looking at what I think I can do versus what I can actually do. So yeah, we’ve been training super, super hard. Six days a week.

What does a typical day look like?

I get up at about 7.45 and tend to spend the first part of my day at the chiropractor. I’ll get a few adjustments to make sure my hips are in line—especially important for a hurdler due to repititive movement.

Training tends to start at about 10.30. They call it ‘practise’ in the US! I’ll train for three or four hours, and then in the afternoon I’ll work hard in the gym. I’ll do weights sessions, resistance, that sort of thing.

I’ll often do a bit of recovery stuff, for example, contrast therapy to manage training stress. This means moving from the hot tub to the plunge pool and back again. I’ll go to the sauna, and I’ll get some treatment if I need it.

I make sure I’m eating well, sleeping well, training well, and recovering well, just trying to put myself in the best position for when I return home.

It sounds like the facilities are good?

Oh yeah, absolutely, it’s a bit like David Lloyd on steroids in a university environment! I’m definitely making the most of the access I have.

Ohio State University is one of the most prestigious universities for sports in the country, right?

Yes it is. The university sports scene is unbelievable over here. The (American) football and basketball players are basically campus celebrities. But you don’t get to see them much, they’re so busy. Their life is train, treatment, classes, and travel. It’s pretty full-on and very intense. The coaches don’t mess around, they’re here to win, and being a collegiate athlete is a full-time job.

So is Emma Nwofor famous around campus?!

Haha, no! Football and basketball get the publicity and media, track and field is definitely more of a humble sport!

What are you enjoying most about your US experience?

I love the facilities of course. And I just love the level and quality of the people around me. There are so many people running fast! That really helps my environment, and it really helps motivate me.

You know what, if you’d have asked me this question when I was competing at university, I’d have given you a completely different answer, but now, it’s my family.

I really miss my family. And I especially missed them over Christmas and New Year. We have traditions and certain days when the family comes together and I really miss that. Now, it’s all about FaceTime and the usual “Oh hi! Can you see me? No? Can you hear me? Oh no, the internet is bad!”

Did your dad send you a present?

Ha ha. He sent a virtual present. But I told him that we’re going to have Christmas when I come back home. Everybody has to pretend it’s Christmas. We need to have roast dinner, presents, crackers, everything!

Do you find much time to have fun when you’re in the US? Any partying?!

No! I’m surrounded by people my sister’s age (20). But more to the point, I’m here to work.

My life is train, eat, sleep, get treatment, repeat.

I do have friends here and we’ll occasionally organise a games night or go to the movies, but it’s mostly work for me.

America is the land of calories, right? How you finding the food?

Yes, and that’s one thing I’m definitely struggling with. Naturally I will always eat healthily, but even if I eat exactly the same things I do at home, I seem to put on a little bit of weight.

I’ll have rice, chicken, protein, a sweet potato—and I put on weight!! It really puzzles me and it’s one aspect I battle with.

I bring over a few things from the UK; my own protein powder and a few snacks. I really don’t like American chocolate, so I will sneak an Aero or Dairy Milk into my bag!

I’m currently getting ready for the Rod Carvery Memorial Invitational meet at the University of Kentucky. I’m really excited about that, a bit nervous, but good vibes, good energy!

And I’m going there to win. I know that the University of Kentucky have a pretty decent batch of hurdlers, but every competition I go to this year, I’m going there to win. I think previously my mindset was to see how I get on, but the preparation I’ve had this year has really helped me believe in myself and my ability. I have so much more confidence.

Going back to the UK, are there any hurdlers that are faster than you?

At the moment, I respectfully think I’m the best hurdler in the UK. I’ve worked hard to get here. Like, blood, sweat, and tears!

There are a couple of girls that have it in their locker to beat me, but I think the work I’ve put in has made it harder for them. If you’re looking at the times, I’m the fastest 60 metre hurdler in the UK at the moment, and I’m looking to get faster.

Talk to me about Los Angeles…

LA 28! Woo hoo!

You know what, I was just gutted that I didn’t make Paris ‘24. I got injured late in 2023 and rushed, rushed, rushed to return in time, but it didn’t happen.

So I have to get to LA! I feel like my time in America, all this training, it’s all about the Olympics. I’ve absolutely got tunnel vision and I plan to compete at Los Angeles.

That’s an interesting question, a younger me would’ve probably said that I want to be like Dame Jessica Ennis Hill. I used to think, “Oh my goodness, these people are so cool.” But as I’ve got older, I’ve realised that many of these people are my competitors. I need to have the right mindset.

Saying that, I really admire (retired Jamaican sprinter) Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. I look at the longevity of her career and her journey within athletics and love that she didn’t give up. She stayed locked in, she stayed focused for so long. I want to be like that.

Oh! And of course, my second dad, Linford Christie!

I can’t believe you forgot Linford! He’s going to be furious…

Haha. But absolutely Linford Christie. He is just such an awesome person. He’s gone through so much in his career, but his resilience and mental strength is so empowering for me.

And although he’s not running anymore, he’s got such a youthful mindset. He’s still competitive, and he instills that in me every single day at training.

He’s one of my role models and inspirations. He navigates me through the hard stuff and keeps pushing me through. He’s a super-cool guy, and I’m very grateful for him.

Haha, yeah I do. We talk though. FaceTime, texting, he checks in. He sends Instagram reels. That’s our love language!