Gerald Phiri laughs when you ask him to recount his memories of Welshpool High School.
“Is Mr. Coakley still the headmaster? I remember he had different coloured eyes!” he says and then asks, “And coach Jones (Bernie)? Is he still there? I owe him a lot because he was the first person to encourage me to run and sent me to my first national championships in Cardiff where I won a two-lap race and finished third in high jump!”
Ten years on since 13-year-old Gerald left Welshpool High School for Sheffield, the 23-year-old is preparing to take on the likes of Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay in the Olympic Games 100m – one of the blue ribbon events being held over the next fortnight.
“I have set my target on reaching the final,” he said confidently during an exclusive interview with mywelshpool from inside the Athletes Village. “It would be crazy to talk of medals and my goal is simply go as fast as I can and hope it gets me into that last eight which would be a huge achievement when you consider the field.”
Gerald has travelled a remarkable road since leaving 51 Bron-y-Buckley.
After two years in Welshpool, he moved with his parents to Sheffield – Britain’s athletics capital – where his career flourished. His talent was identified immediately and before long he was setting records and becoming one of Britain’s fastest ever men.
Aged 17, he moved again with his parents across the Atlantic to Chicago where “ice grew on the inside of the house” and then on to sunny Texas and university.
Gerald has been ranked among the top runners in the world over the past four years and he aims to beat his best time of 10.06 seconds in London to pressure the household names.
But talking to Gerald you sense that the Olympics represent much more than a personal bid for glory, his mission is far greater and more important.
Shunning the offer of riches to compete for Britain – his times would make him our top sprinter – he has opted to run for the country of his birth, Zambia.
“I guess when I come here and see Jessica (Ennis) who I know very well splashed all over billboards and other friends’ images used in places like Nike, you do wonder but I am committed to competing for Zambia.
“I appreciate that I am privileged. My parents left Zambia when I was young to help me enjoy a better life and if I can pay something back to the country in order to inspire youngsters to take up sport then I feel I should.
“There have not been many athletic champions for the country to look up to so I will do my best for Zambia and try to bring some success home over the coming years.”
Gerald laughs when asked about the reaction to mywelshpool’s story last month when he qualified for the Games.
“One guy I was in school with said he used to beat me in the sprints but his best chances are definitely behind him now!” he jokes before fondly reminiscing, “Welshpool was a great experience and time for me. The people were really nice and I made some good friends.”
One of those friends was Andy Frost who is among the several thousand soldiers helping with Olympic security.
“I bumped into Andy at the village restaurant! It was great to see him after all this time.”
Gerald’s high ranking means he will skip the first heats for the 100m to join at the second round on August 3. In preparation for London he moved to Orlando, Florida in May to train with Lance Brauman and alongside the likes of Gay.
He trains from 9.30am-2.30pm six days a week but even on his day off he conducts “light training”.
Gerald’s story goes to show that it doesn’t matter where you come from or what your background is, providing you have the dedication and commitment, you can achieve.
His eyes lit up when he heard about the current crop of talented athletes coming through the high school including shot putter Adele Nicoll and swimmer Dan Jones, who both seem destined for the big time.
Gerald’s modesty and personality is a breath of fresh air in a sports world littered with overpaid superstars disconnected from the public.
And while he is fine tuning for the biggest race of his life this next fortnight, he faces another important date later in the year when he gets married.
But in the meantime the whole of Zambia and a small market town in rural Mid Wales will be backing their champion all the way.