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For a man who is used to preparing for a new season pounding the tarmac, spending the last few weeks in water hasnt been easy. Swimming has been a major part of Mark Englishs return to fitness since a foot injury (thanks to running over a pothole) forced his withdrawal from the World Indoor Championships in March.The 23-year-old Sky Academy Sports Scholar and 800m runner opens up about his season preparation and love affair with athletics.... .Im optimistic about the summer. The challenge since the injury has been finding ways to keep fit so when I return to training properly I can focus on finding my rhythm again.Im hungrier than ever to put on my spikes and leave the swimming goggles behind. I have a 600m race planned for Birmingham on June 6 but Ill need to see how the injury progresses.I really hope I can race in Amsterdam at the European Championships, but it isnt the priority. The Olympics come first, and I wont do anything that would put my race preparations for Rio in jeopardy.Fighting back to fitness got me thinking about what makes my sport so great. So I wrote a few words..... Sebastian Coe beats fierce rival Steve Ovett in the 1500m final at the 1980 Moscow Olympics 1. RIVALRIESThe IAAF and meet directors are really trying to promote head-to-heads this year and it is needed if they want to return to the Seb Coe vs Steve Ovett and Linford Christie vs Carl Lewis days.Essentially, its about creating the right story around it and allowing people to naturally choose sides.Take the Coe-Ovett rivalry. This was pitted as a good boy vs bad boy rivalry. The public were intrigued because they were a Coe or an Ovett fan. Similarly, you were a Linford Christie or Carl Lewis fan.And its no surprise to watch these showdowns and see packed-out stadiums. Last year, we saw huge interest in Usain Bolt vs Justin Gatlin in Beijing. Everyone loves a good ol showdown.2. DRAMAAnything can and does happen. Even the overwhelming favourites have a capacity to bottle and its an irresistible sight to watch. Take John Treacys victory over Ovett - otherwise known as that arrogance personified video on YouTube.The mud lark Treacy out-leans a celebrating Ovett who clearly thought he had the race sewn up. Youd be hard pressed to pick a better video to teach someone that it aint over till its over.3. THE PAIN IS RELATABLEI have to put my hands up and admit that before I was 10, I wouldnt run more than a mile. I wondered what the point was.Grabbing a football and using jumpers as goalposts seemed more fun than running around in circles. But then I had to run cross-country and experienced a whole new world of pain.Then came the fun run 5k and 10k races at local Turkey Trots. After grinding my way through those races, I could only imagine what marathoners had to put their bodies through on a daily basis.From then on, I went from switching the channel when a marathon came on, to empathising with the pain, focus and the slog. And those who have run any of these races will know what Im on about. Irelands David Gillick overcame the fashion conscious Bastian Swillims to be 2007 European indoor champion 4. NATIONAL GLORYTheres a huge surge of national pride anytime someone does well on the big stage. I know I felt incredibly proud watching David Gillick (400m) and hurdler Derval ORourke winning their indoor titles over the years. The arenas can be viewed as proving grounds, where nations seek to get one up on each other.I remember very well when Gillick beat the German athlete Bastian Swillims (donning a very eccentric one-piece suit) to win the European indoors in 2006.5. SIZES FOR EVERYONE Athletics is a sport that caters for all sizes.Its fascinating to walk around the dining hall at a Diamond League meeting and note the difference between the lean marathoners and the muscled shot-putters. No other sport has such a vast array of sizes.6. SUMMER MEETSA few of my mates came along to the Morton Games two years ago. This is an athletics meeting held in July in Santry, Dublin. They werent regulars at athletics meets but they thoroughly enjoyed it.From the exciting commentary trackside to great weather and track records - its a great place to chill in the summer. You dont even need to fully understand athletics to enjoy watching it.Im sure if I went to watch an NFL game, I wouldnt have a Scooby Doo what was going on, but Id still have a great time munching on some popcorn - its a well-sold package.Athletics could do even more to package itself along these lines, but meets like the Morton Games lead the way when it comes to entertainment and carnival-type atmospheres. Usain Bolt storms to victory for Jamaica at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia 7. RELAYSThe best sporting event I have ever been to without doubt has been the Penn Relays. Its the oldest and largest track meet in the United States. Its a mixture of high school, college, university and elite events, attracting 15,000 competitors over five days.The atmosphere is fascinating. The crowd usually tops 10,000 on the final day, many of them Jamaican. And when the USA vs the World relays begin, theres huge passion. Everyone loves getting behind a team.Invariably, there will be at least one race where the leader is hunted down over the last few strides. Its a refreshing reminder of whats beautiful about relays in general - displays of pure desire, guts and pride.WHATS COMING UP FOR OUR SCHOLARS19 - 27 MAY: Savannah Marshall, World Championships in Kazakhstan22 - 30 MAY: Sam Oldham, Europan Gymnastics Championships in Switzerland Also See: About the Scholarship Meet the athletes Blogs Videos Galleries Stitched Royals Jerseys . Carey Price didnt, but he still came out on top against one of his rivals for the No. 1 job at the Sochi Games. The Anahim Lake, B.C., native was stellar in making 39 saves in his home province and Lars Eller got credit for a bizarre short-handed winner as the Canadiens defeated the Canucks 4-1. Wholesale Royals Jerseys . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. https://www.cheaproyals.com/497a-tim-hill-jersey-royals.html . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. Larry Gura Jersey .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Meibrys Viloria Jersey . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. DETROIT -- A year after the Detroit Tigers traded away stars at the deadline, Justin Verlander is trying to prevent that from happening again.You dont want to be sellers. Obviously we went through that last year, and it was tough for everybody here, especially when youve got a lot of guys in this clubhouse that are used to winning, Verlander said. We are a good club, and weve just got to go out there and prove it.Verlander struck out 10 in seven innings, and the Tigers scored three runs in the seventh to rally past Kansas City 4-2 on Friday night.Victor Martinez drove in two runs with a single in the seventh when his comebacker deflected off reliever Joakim Soria and rolled to the area between first and second. With the second baseman playing way out in shallow right field, the Royals couldnt retire Martinez, and two runners scored on the play.Id rather give up a double up the gap than do that, because I had a chance to get us out of the inning, and I didnt take it, Soria said. I made the pitches, but didnt field my position.Detroits Tyler Collins hit a solo homer earlier in the inning off Luke Hochevar (1-2) to tie the game at 2. Ian Kinsler also homered for the Tigers.Verlander (9-6) allowed one earned run and four hits. Justin Wilson pitched the eighth and Francisco Rodriguez finished for his 25th save in 27 chances.Detroit traded David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Soria during a disappointing 2015. The Tigers have been better this year, but they came into the day trailing by 6 1/2 games in the AL Central and by four in the race for a wild card.Collins was called up from the minors before the game to replace Justin Upton, who was put on the bereavement list. Collins was 2 for 22 with Detroit this season before his seventh-inning homer tied the game. After consecutive singles by Jose Iglesias and Kinsler, Soria came on and walked Cameron Maybin to load the bases with one out.After falling behind 3-0 on Miguel Cabrera, Soria recovered to strike out the Detroit slugger, but Martinez followed with his grounder that turned into a two-run single.Verlander struck out the side in the first, and Kinsler led off the bottom half with a hhomer, but Detroit couldnt add to that lead.dddddddddddd With men on first and second in the sixth, Kansas Citys Salvador Perez lifted a deep drive to right that Steven Moya couldnt handle. Perez ended up with an RBI double, and another run came home on the play thanks to a throwing error by Kinsler.Kansas City starter Ian Kennedy allowed a run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out three.RETURNThe most memorable thing Collins did with the Tigers earlier this season was extend a middle finger toward booing home fans back in April. He heard plenty of cheers Friday after his big home run.It feels great, definitely, Collins said. It feels better to get the win.RESPECTRoyals manager Ned Yost, who was the American League skipper at the All-Star Game, talked a bit about Cabreras gesture in Tuesdays game in which he insisted Kansas Citys Eric Hosmer get another at-bat to try to boost his MVP case. Cabrera didnt replace Hosmer until the seventh inning of that game.Whats really unique about the All-Star Game for me is that you get 34 guys from different organizations that youre screaming at and yelling at one day from across the field, but you walk into that clubhouse door and its amazing how they unite into a team for two days, Yost said.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: Yost said OF Lorenzo Cain (left hamstring) is probably at about 85 percent. Cain is eligible to come off the DL whenever the Royals feel hes ready.Tigers: Manager Brad Ausmus said LHP Daniel Norris (right oblique) was probably a couple of days away from a bullpen session. ... RHP Jordan Zimmermann (neck) said he would probably do long-toss Saturday.UP NEXTRoyals: LHP Danny Duffy (4-1) starts Saturday night against the Tigers. He has struck out at least seven hitters in four straight starts. The last Kansas City pitcher to do it in five straight starts was Zack Greinke, when he won the Cy Young Award in 2009.Tigers: RHP Mike Pelfrey (2-8) tries for his third straight quality start.---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister ' ' '