Cheadle schoolgirl Danielle Johnson has succeeded the Commonwealth Games Heptathlon champion Kelly Sotherton as Birchfield Harriers Athlete of the Month of May at an Awards Ceremony at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
The fourteen year old who is coached by Ray Plant has competed with distinction for the north Birmingham club on the road, cross country and track for three years and has already displayed considerable potential in endurance races.
A couple of years as a twelve year old Dannii ran the 2005 London Mini Marathon and raised £800 for the Marie Curie Cancer Charity in memory of her Nan who had died at the age of 52 twelve months earlier.
She has been ever present for every race that her club have entered throughout the winter season after recording the second fastest time at the Midland Road Relays in Sutton Park. She placed runner up on a couple of occasions in the West Midland Young Athletes Cross Country League to earn her overall bronze medal for the five race series. In March Danielle accomplished a Top Thirty finish out of a field of 300 runners at the National Cross Country Championships at Sunderland despite being a year under age.
On the track, the Cheadle High School pupil last summer broke her school 1500 metres record which had stood for thirty years. Already this season she has run more than half a second faster than any one else in her age group in the West Midlands for 3,000 metres and has won the silver medal for this distance at the Midland Championships.
In nominating Danni for her award, long serving Team Manager and Endurance Coach Terry Roberts paid tribute to "The dedication and single mindedness of arguably the most successful young endurance runner who competed for our club last winter. She is always cheerful and polite to colleagues and competitors alike."
The Staffordshire youngster applied to become a Birchfield Harrier after she met her idol Paula Radcliffe at a Cadbury's Get Active Day at the National Exhibition Centre. Danni recalls the occasion extremely well, "Paula was injured but shook every finisher's hand. By chance we met again later in the car park. She was lovely and very supportive and encouraging and remains a great inspiration to me."
Dannii said, "I feel very honoured to have been nominated for and chosen to receive this athlete of the Month Award. I love running particularly on the road. I want to race over the longer distances as I get older and stronger."
Tom McCook
12 June 2007
