Paul Brizzel
Name: Paul Brizzell
D.O.B: 3rd October 1976
Club/Country: Ballymena & Antrim / Ireland
Occupation: Professional Athlete
Ambitions/Future aspirations: To become a Professional Sports Therapist
Personal best performances: 100m 10.35 NR, 200m 20.54 NR, 60m 6.75, 200m indoor 20.75 NR
Favourite Brooks shoes: Brooks Radius & F2 Sprint spike
Best Race: World Championships 2003 Paris 200m
Worse Race: European Championships 2002 Munich 200m! During the race I was obstructed by a German TV camera on a boom about 30m into my first round race over the 200m. I was forced to swerve and duck under; thank God I came from a rugby background, I considered returning to my first sport after being shown no justice by having to repeat my run on my own after the morning session was finished. As a result I made a guest appearance on the hit TV show ‘They think it's all over’ as the mystery guest. Till this day that moment at the Europeans still haunts me and will follow me to the end of my career. I would say not my funniest moment but disappointing.
Championship/Competitive Achievements:
--> 2006
Outdoors
- Senior events 100m winner – 10.61
- Team Trophy 100m winner – 10.85
- AAI Games 100m winner – 10.3
- UK Inter Counties 100m 3rd – 10.36
- N. Ireland Champion 100m – 10.30
- European Cup 100m winner – 10.68
- Belgium EAP 200M 2nd – 21.05
- AAAs European Trials 5th – 20.95
Indoors
- Manchester Inner City Cup 200m winner
- Manchester Inner City Cup performer of the meet
- Irish indoor 60m champion – 6.83
--> 2005
Outdoors
- Northern Ireland 100m champion – 10.60
- Northern Ireland 200m champion
- Spar Sprints 100m champion
- Irish outdoor 200m champion
- Qualified for 2006 European Championships Gothenburg (Sweden)
Indoors
- Budapest indoor GP 60m winner – 6.78
- Belgium indoor GP 200m 2nd
- British indoor 200m bronze medallist
- British indoor GP, Birmingham 6th
- European indoors, Madrid – 200m
--> 2004
Outdoors
- Olympic Games, Athens – 200m
- European cup winner, Iceland – 200m
- Achilles injury, from indoors
Indoors
- British indoor 200m champion
- Irish indoor 60m champion
- World indoor Championships, Budapest – 200m semi, Achilles injury
--> 2003
Outdoors
- Ranked 16th in the 200m & 50th in the 100m on the European ranking list
- Ranked 39th on the IAAF event ranking lists for the 200m (1157pts)
- Gained ‘A’ qualification mark in 200m for the forth coming Olympics Games, Athens
- Finished 13th on World Championship time list for the 200m – fastest non qualifier for the semi-finals (20.56s)
- Equalled my own 100m Irish Record of 10.35s at the Dublin International
- 1st in Irish Senior Championships – 200m
Indoors
- Ranked 11th in the world indoor ranking list
- Set new 200m Irish Indoor Record in two consecutive competitions
lowering it from 21.13s to 20.75s - 2nd in AAA’s – 200m (20.80) (20.75 in heats)
The Personal Bit
As a sprinter all my sessions are testosterone fuelled and there is no better thing than going in the opposite direction. To relax I enjoy going to the beach in the evening to watch the sun set and the waves crash against the rocks and shore. I love the colour of the skyline as they all merge together. My favourite colour is – well, many colours depending on my mood!
Music is another two ended scale spectrum, from training and warm up is pumping, hard hitting rock tunes i.e. Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Creed etc, metal i.e. Manson and Rap i.e. DMX. After training I like to listen to soothing easy listening tunes i.e. Damien Rice, Shaun Mullins, James Blunt etc.
When relaxing in my room and winding down I watch my favourite cartoon character Scooby Doo to ease me off to sleep.
If I’d not succeeded in track I honestly can say I don’t know what I would be doing, but I do know this… It wouldn’t be as enjoyable as my love of sport! I’ve recently taken to golf but I don’t intend on turning professional, as it’s a game of finesse, something I’m learning.
Brooks Company