Errol Nolan set to have record-breaking 2013 season

“I was one of the slowest people on my team until my senior year in high school when I started to take it [track] seriously,” said 21 year old Errol Nolan, now a senior at the University of Houston. Nolan continues “Then I dropped about 3 seconds off my personal best in high school and ran 47.82 seconds in the 400m to become regional champion.”  For Nolan, the scholarship offers came pouring in and he chose to attend the University of Houston(UH), where things have since been progressing forward for him. Nolan, who was born in Houston Texas to Jamaican parents, represented the United States at the 2010 IAAF World Junior Championship before switching allegiance to Jamaica prior to the London Olympic Games.  He has a personal best time of 45.24 seconds in the 400m and was a member of the Jamaican 4x4 relay team that failed to advance beyond the preliminary round in London. Nolan also has a lifetime best time of 20.77 seconds in the 200m. Trackledger.com spoke to Nolan about his family, his Olympic experience and his goals for the upcoming season. Family and Early Years “My parents, aunts and uncles were all born in Jamaica so I am the first generation to be born in the states” said Nolan. Nolan grew up playing American football and baseball. He pursued track because he thought that he could run  fast and that track and field was the ideal sports for him to do. The 400m has always been Nolan’s favorite event. As a student at Lamar Consolidated High School in Texas, his coach felt that the 400m was his calling and Nolan became a staple on the school’s 4x4 relay teams.  “I guess I got stuck with it [400m] since then,” he said. Life on Campus “I like it here at the University of Houston. The coaching staff focuses on the team but when I get my one-on-one time with the coaches, they will point out my weak areas and I just work on those areas to get better. My times has dropped easily especially with the great weight-program we have here at UH.” Nolan has not experienced any homesickness. “Houston is my home and I am basically an hour away from my house,” said Nolan. As he has gotten stronger, Nolan has also gotten faster in the 400m.  Over the past three years, Nolan has been dominant in the Conference USA and was recently named the 2012 Co-Conference USA Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. Switching Allegiance from USA to Jamaica At the 2010 IAAF World Junior Championship held in Moncton Canada, Nolan who was representing the USA, earned a bronze medal in the 400m (46.36 seconds) behind winner Grenada’s Kirani James (45.89). Nolan was also a member of the USA gold medal winning 4x4 relay team. Having dual citizenship in both Jamaica and the USA, Nolan decided to switch allegiance from the USA to Jamaica because “I felt the need to switch because my parents and grandparents were born in Jamaica and they would really feel proud to see me run for Jamaica.” Nolan continued “I was raised in the Jamaican culture so I feel I am Jamaican.” Jamaican Trial “Initially, I just kept to myself and focused on my own race because I didn’t know the whole crew as yet,” said Nolan who believe that respect should be earned. “I was in it to try and win it,” Nolan pointed out. “They didn’t know who I was so I was trying to fit into the program [team] once I get it.” Commenting on his performance at the Jamaican Olympic Trials, Nolan said “I thought I ran a very safe race because I was panicking. I was doubting myself at the time, but I end up running a personal best [45.24]. I could’ve run better if I had just relaxed.” Nolan finished 4^th overall and that automatically qualified him for the Jamaican Olympic 4x4 relay pool. “Overall that was a good performance,” he reflected. London Olympic Experience “London was very exciting. I got a whole week and a half to get acquainted with my teammates. After that it was smooth sailing. Everyone knew who I was and I really enjoyed myself,” said Nolan. The team of Dane Hyatt, Rusheen McDonald, Jermaine Gonzales and Errol Nolan failed to advance beyond the preliminary round due to Gonzales’ injury on the third leg which prevented Nolan from getting the stick on the anchor leg. But young Nolan has gotten past that disappointment and said, “I just focus on the positives and the experience at the Olympics was more than gold to me. I was just happy to be there.” Upcoming season A confident Nolan summarizes his goals for the upcoming season. “This is my senior year at UH so I want to finish-up real strong. My goals are to win the NCCA Indoors and Outdoors, and to break a couple of school [UH] and Conference [USA] records.” With his Olympic experience under his belt, Nolan has the 2013 World Championship on his calendar and reveals his desire to compete for a spot on the 2013 Jamaican World Championship team. “I am not counting out anybody this season,” said Nolan. When asked about going sub-45 in the 400m  Nolan said, “I feel if I work hard, then my time will drop.”       Follows on us Twitter Like us on Facebook