However those who are familiar with Annabelle’s family will know she does have genetics on her side.
Her father Olusoji was World Indoor 60m champion in 2008, won Olympic bronze in the 4x100m relay in 2004 and was a Commonwealth Games silver medallist in 2006.
His personal best over 100m of 9.85 that he set in May 2006 was the African record until South Africa’s Akani Simbine broke it in July 2021.
Meanwhile her mother Ngozi was also an international athlete and ran in the 4x400m relay at the Athens Olympics in 2004.
“My husband was good, I was good, when my mother used to run she was very fast, so Annabelle being fast is not like it’s a surprise, because I know it’s what she took from us,” Ngozi said.
“The way I’ve seen my daughter work is unbelievable,” added Olusoji, who joined the Royal Navy in 2011 and works in logistics.
“Looking at her training and what she’s doing at the age of 12 or 13 compares to what I did then, I think she’s braver than me.
“She runs the middle distances really hard, and I remember I used to try and hide, but she goes for it and smiles as well.
“When I was 12 I knew nothing about athletics, I was just playing around in the sand just having fun
“Yeah, I was fast then, but I never thought about the Olympics or anything.
“But watching what my daughter is doing now compared to that time, I think she’s going to achieve more than what I’ve ever done in my career and I think that’s every father’s dream.”
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