That win, and the first placed finish in Stockholm a week earlier, came following second place in Paris and third place in New York, showing that the 2011 world champion had developed a sense of perfect timing, a knack for seeing an opportunity and taking it with both hands when it mattered most.
It’s a skill that Simpson has already repeated this year, with a win in Rome that saw her pass the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan in the final strides to notch her first four-point haul of the season.
“I came out of the gates a lot stronger this year,” she smiles. “I don’t think that my training has significantly changed, but I definitely came on to the scene a lot stronger, running that 4:00 and that 3:59 (in Rome) in my first two races. I’m hoping that I have a similar arch to the season (as last year), to be at my very best at the end for the world championships and the Diamond League finals. We’ve yet to see whether that plan turns out!”
Simpson returns to Europe following a win at the USA national championships ready to prove that she is ready win her second Diamond Trophy of her career, alongside another world title.
“The Diamond League is indisputably the highest level of our sport,” she comments. “So the opportunity to compete (in these meetis) is really important to me, and also to prove that I can win at that level. So early in the season I set a schedule that would be my plan A, the most ideal schedule. The Diamond League is a very heavy part of that, so I absolutely planned from the very beginning of the year which Diamond Leagues would suit my season and then tried to organize my races so that I can maximize my chances there.”
Athletissima marks the second phase of Simpson’s season and the 28 year old is looking forward to yet again timing her charge for honours to perfection.
“It’s been going really well,” she says. “I went home and trained to get ready for the national championships and USAs is always difficult because it’s the part of the season where you really have to perform under pressure and people are really competing to make the USA team to go to the world championships. So I was really proud to be able to train into that and come out successfully and get that confidence builder going into the rest of the Diamond League season.”
And one of the most pleasing aspects of her campaign so far is the opportunity to develop the tactical side of her racing.
“Last year I did a lot of front running, right behind the rabbit, running strong,” she explains. “I was really trying to better my time as it had been a long time since I’d bettered my PB. That was my priority last year. This year at the beginning of the season I just wanted to remind myself what it was like to allow a race to unfold and respond to the race.”
“So now I’m going in to the latter part of the season, similar to last year. I don’t know what the plan will be for Lausanne, but I’m taking control of the race but also knowing how to respond to my competitors. That’s what I’m learning to do -execute both tactics well. Going into the world championships I want to know that I can win from the front or win from behind.”
With IAAF Diamond League races in Lausanne and then, next week, in Monaco, Simpson will have plenty of opportunity to practice.
Dean Hardman for the IAAF Diamond League
