JCCM Jane Cowmeadow Communications and Management

William Sharman made his most decisive break through on the international athletics stage when he placed 4th at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in a personal best of 13:30.

Sharman, a late addition to Team GB, having placed a disappointing fourth in the Team GB trials, came into late form peaking at the right time and getting the A qualification at a low key meet in Loughborough just in time to make the team selection.

He excelled himself at the Championships, clocking the fifth fastest time in the heats, and winning his semi-final, before going on to place a very competitive fourth.

2009 saw him go from being ranked 103rd in the World rankings for 110h to 31st prior to the World Championships to missing gold by just 0.16 of a second.

This phenomenal success was further endorsed when he finished 2nd in the British GP just a hundredth of a second behind the World Champion David Payne, and placed 4th in the Brussels GL.

William Sharman Photo Gallery

His success came after a number of years of self funding to get to the number one spot in Britain – starting out as a talented young decathlete and then specialising as a 110h and working his way up the rankings.

He made his Team GB senior team debut in 2006 when selected to compete in the European Championships after winning a series of British races and setting a personal best of 13:48 at the AAA U23 Championships, a Championships Record performance. His senior team debut saw him go out in the heats at the Championships.

2007 was a decisive year for Sharman, when he moved to Loughborough to study a Masters Degree, and started training under the watchful eye of George Macieuvitch, a well respected Polish hurdles coach. This came after returning to train in Loughborough from Cardiff.

2007 and 2008 saw Sharman competing to take the number one spot in the UK, and make the senior team for the major Championships.

The benefits of working with his new coach, and the set up at Loughborough, has resulted in his confidence and ability coming together to catapult him to the next level in his discipline.

Sharman, who was born in Lagos, Nigeria but was brought up in the UK, comes from a family of sportsmen. His father played rugby union for Northampton Saints and his brother competed in the World Bobsleigh Championships for Britain.

He has a degree in economics and a masters in banking and finance, and is a classically trained pianist.