ZAK MILLER won the English Schools cross-country title earlier this year and is off to Belgrade this week as part of Britain’s team for the European Championships. Yet until this year the 16-year-old from Manchester was better known for his exploits in the
boxing ring, writes Jason Henderson.
Miller is a five-time North West champion in boxing and in 2010 he won the national title. He reckons he’s ranked about No.3 in the country for his age and weight, but his athletics achievements are quickly overtaking his fighting performances.
Remarkably, Miller doesn’t turn 17 until March, which means he’s more than two years younger than the Euro trials winner in Liverpool last week, Jonny Davies of Reading.
Miller could have run the under-17 men’s race in Liverpool, but instead gambled on taking on older rivals in the under-20 race – and it paid off with fourth place and a guaranteed spot in the GB team for this weekend’s European Championships in Belgrade.
“After the national cross-country relays in Mansfield my time there led me to think I should go for it in Liverpool,” he says. “It was still a bit of a surprise to finish as highly as I did, though.”
Yet Miller is not entirely unknown to the cross-country community. In March he won the English Schools title at Catton Hall despite having a boxing coach, Wayne Heywood at Ashton Albion Boxing Club, but no one to guide his running career.
Now, he is coached by Paul Shaw at Trafford AC and his daily diet of long, steady runs has been improved by the addition of harder, quality sessions.
“I’ve been boxing since about 10 or 11 years of age,” he explains. “I think the training for each sport helps each other. They complement each other.”
But he adds: “My running is going so well that I’m putting it first at the moment.”
Miller also used to play centre midfield for Stockport County but kicked that into touch after seeing team-mates get so easily injured.
“I’d like to be part of the scoring team in Belgrade,” he says. “And then I’ll hopefully have a few more chances to do well in the event due to my age.”
Who knows, Miller could eventually become a “British Benson Masya”. The late Kenyan distance legend won the Bupa Great North Run four times in the 1990s, but he also began his sporting life in the boxing ring.
boxing ring, writes Jason Henderson.
Miller is a five-time North West champion in boxing and in 2010 he won the national title. He reckons he’s ranked about No.3 in the country for his age and weight, but his athletics achievements are quickly overtaking his fighting performances.
Remarkably, Miller doesn’t turn 17 until March, which means he’s more than two years younger than the Euro trials winner in Liverpool last week, Jonny Davies of Reading.
Miller could have run the under-17 men’s race in Liverpool, but instead gambled on taking on older rivals in the under-20 race – and it paid off with fourth place and a guaranteed spot in the GB team for this weekend’s European Championships in Belgrade.
“After the national cross-country relays in Mansfield my time there led me to think I should go for it in Liverpool,” he says. “It was still a bit of a surprise to finish as highly as I did, though.”
Yet Miller is not entirely unknown to the cross-country community. In March he won the English Schools title at Catton Hall despite having a boxing coach, Wayne Heywood at Ashton Albion Boxing Club, but no one to guide his running career.
Now, he is coached by Paul Shaw at Trafford AC and his daily diet of long, steady runs has been improved by the addition of harder, quality sessions.
“I’ve been boxing since about 10 or 11 years of age,” he explains. “I think the training for each sport helps each other. They complement each other.”
But he adds: “My running is going so well that I’m putting it first at the moment.”
Miller also used to play centre midfield for Stockport County but kicked that into touch after seeing team-mates get so easily injured.
“I’d like to be part of the scoring team in Belgrade,” he says. “And then I’ll hopefully have a few more chances to do well in the event due to my age.”
Who knows, Miller could eventually become a “British Benson Masya”. The late Kenyan distance legend won the Bupa Great North Run four times in the 1990s, but he also began his sporting life in the boxing ring.
This article originally appeared in Athletics Weekly. Our thanks to them for their permission to reproduce it.
PS. Zak finished a credible 31st out of over 150 entrants in his race. The GB team just missed out on a team medal, finishing 4th. Zak will be able to compete in this age group for three more years and we look forward to seeing what the future holds!
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