Success Eduan, a newly qualified midwife from Blackley, has paused her career to focus on winning a medal for Great Britain in the 200m at the LA Olympics in 2028. She has already delivered 40 babies during her midwifery training.
From Blackley to the track
Born in Madrid but raised in Blackley, north Manchester, from the age of ten, Eduan realised she was fast. While a pupil at St Matthews RC High School in Moston, she went through a period of three years where she won every race she entered.
She went to Loreto College, where she achieved A-levels in biology and psychology as well as a BTEC in health and social care. She then attended Salford University, where she passed her midwifery course and will attend her graduation ceremony later this year.
Balancing studies and sprinting
Throughout her studies, Eduan won gold in the 200m at the British championships in June and relay gold in the 4x100m at the European championships in August. She is coached by Anita Richardson, a Stretford-based coach who is leaving a career in teaching, and former Great Britain 400m runner Clovis Asong.
Eduan recalled her first baby delivery during her midwifery degree: "The first time was quite scary. I'm the one who they are trusting. It's quite an amazing moment. I like being their support system, being part of a vulnerable time and supporting them. I found it really gave to my heart and you go home thinking 'I've really helped somebody today'."
Full-time focus on LA 2028
Her midwifery career has now been paused while she concentrates full time on sprinting. She relies heavily on Richardson, one of relatively few female coaches in athletics. "She's basically been like a mum to me. My parents trust her to lead the way for me and teach me ways to become better not just on the track but outside the track, my mindset," said Eduan.
"I'm taking each day as it goes but my aim is to go to LA 28 to perform on the big stage," she added.
Coach's new role
Richardson, 54, a mother-of-one from Stretford, will leave her job as PE teacher at Claremont primary school in Fallowfield in the new year, after 30 years in teaching. In January she will take up a part-time role at the charity Team McR as project lead for girls and inclusion, which hosts events culminating in the Manchester School Games.
Richardson, a former GB 400-metre relay runner until injury curtailed her career before her 20th birthday, said more female coaches would help. She told the Manchester Evening News: "There is still an uneven balance of female to male coaches at all levels from grass routes to performance level. We definitely need both but female coaches can be valuable in understanding how females work to get the very best out of them.
"I'm a mum with a daughter who competes in athletics and was an athlete myself so have a heightened understanding if they are tired, if it's the time of month and adjust training or give moral support. It's not to say males can not do this but having more female coaches will help.
"Also athletes want role models who represent them and can relate to. Our group has a mixture of male and female athletes balanced with a male and female coaching set up."
