Newbury athlete Izzy Fry excited for the future after signing for Team New Balance Manchester

The 20-year-old will link up with the team in Manchester after completing university at St Mary's

NEWBURY athlete Izzy Fry is aiming to take the ‘next step’ in her career after signing a contract to join Team New Balance Manchester.

Fry, 20, will link up with the professional team when she completes her studies at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, next month.

The announcement comes just a few months after she signed her first professional contract with the New Balance team.

She said: “It’s something I have always dreamt of and I am fortunate that I have been given this sort of opportunity.

“I am hoping it’s the next step.

“The set-up I have had at St Mary’s has been amazing and I have loved every second of it.

“This past year we have not been able to have training partners, so it’s been strange and it’s not the way I would’ve wanted my university experience to end.

“I think this next step of being in the professional environment, having the physios and just being able to focus on what I love most will make a huge difference.”

At the start of the year, the former Park House pupil was exploring her options after she graduates with a degree in sports science.

She said: “I graduate this summer and as a student graduating, especially after the year we have had, it’s always difficult to know, post-graduation, whether you go full-time into work or do a masters.

“I think as an athlete, I have always told myself that I would give myself one or two years post university to make the most out of my running.

“I didn’t want to regret not giving it my all and kind of going straight into the real world, so at the beginning of this year I was exploring my options to see if I could pursue the running career.”

Fry went to visit the facilities in Manchester before agreeing to sign with the team and she was impressed with what she saw.

She said: “We knew there was an elite set-up in Manchester, then I got into contact with the coach and he was willing for me to have a look.

“I really enjoyed the environment, the people and I thought why not, let’s give it a shot, because I think it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“Where I have been living, and where my university is based, in Teddington it’s very expensive and if I was to stay in this area, which I do love a lot, it would have meant that I would have had to prioritise work instead of running.”

Despite not being able to train in groups, because of the coronavirus pandemic, Fry admitted that she’s had more time on her own to work on a few things.

“With the whole pandemic, I have actually had more time than ever and I am almost living the professional life now because I am able to train and make that a priority.

“It is balancing university work that has been more stressful because it’s not what we’re used to and with everything being online it is very different.”

The Newbury Athletic Club runner enjoyed an impressive 2020, reaching number one in the British women’s under-20s cross country rankings while also clocking a new personal best of 16:02 in the Senior Women’s 5,000m at the British Championships in Manchester in September.

Now her attentions turn to the European U-23 Championships, which take place in Bergen, Norway, in July.

“That’s my main aim this season,” she said. “I’ll be transferring to the New Balance Manchester set-up in April and we can then hopefully go on an altitude trip in May and that should set me up for the summer season.

“I hope to make all of this hard work over the winter worthwhile.”