Louise Bloor, GBR

"You do have to stage goals but not setting major ones because it takes so long to achieve them.Don't forget I'm impatient. I'll set my goals in different stages and I'll get there in the end!

- 2003

"I'm a long jumper and sprinter but I've also dabbled in hurdling. I remember in one competition, I was running in front of a big crowd and ended up falling on my bum over the second hurdle."

"As a kid I loved living up trees! I was always climbing and everybody called me a bit of a tom-boy really. All of my mates were lads."

"I also played football all the time. In one game, there was a pass back to the goalkeeper and I chased after it like crazy. I ended up colliding with the keeper. And do you know what? I got booked and I was the one who got to the ball first."

"If I can't be an athlete I'd really like to be a physiotherapist. Perhaps I could get posted to Old Trafford and work for the Man United players."

"One thing I don't like to do is waste my time! I get so impatient. Queuing and waiting for buses drives me absolutely crazy."

2003

Louise was 2nd in the AAAs long-jump.

In September/October 2003, Louise won the BBC television programme 'Born to Win'. 

"It feels amazing to be the Born To Win champion. It's one of those feelings you can't really describe. I didn't expect to win but I believed I could win."

"My coach has sorted my technique since then so it's really down to him. When I entered I would have been happy to get to Austria but I've come so much further than that. I might have been seen as a favourite but I don't listen to that kind of stuff. The only person I listen to is my coach. I just do what I believe I can do. How I even made it Austria I don't know because way back in Loughborough I didn't even finish the cross country because of my breathing."

Louise with Dermot O' Leary after winning

"I'll get back into training and carry on as normal with the benefits of physio, massage and warm weather training somewhere nice! I'm going to go out to Austria for a week in December to give bobsleighing a go but my college work has suffered since Born To Win started so I need to get back into that. And next year I'll take a year out of college and just go and have a great time touring the world sliding down ice tubes!"

"It's the biggest thing I've achieved in my life but hopefully I can start to compete internationally and build up from there."

Louise with Boys' winner Garth

Former Olympic gold medallist Sally Gunnell was full of praise for the girls' champion. "Louise was someone I spotted early on in Loughborough," she said. "If you look at her physically she is someone who can really apply herself. She is special."

 A group photo with Michel Johnson 

 A group photo after the final event in Austria

Go to the Born to Win website

2004

1st Feb - Louise (currently) ranks highly in the U20 girls indoor rankings 2004; in 6th in the 60m with 7.76 secs, 5th for the 200m with 25.35 secs and second in the long jump with 5.76m.