Suffolk heptathlete Katy Sealy heading to Rio 2016 Olympics to hurdle for Belize

KATY SEALY is just one of three athletes who will represent the Central American state of Belize at the Olympics – despite living in Suffolk.

The 25-year-old, who lives in the tiny village of Bawdsley, will compete in the 100m hurdles after qualifying through her dad who was born in Belize.

Sealey is already a three-time Central American heptathlon champion but failed to get the qualifying mark to line-up against Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill in Rio and instead has been given a wildcard for the individual hurdles.

Her personal best is almost three seconds off the world record set by American Keni Harrison in London last weekend.

She said: “I never dreamt of going to the Olympics. I do the sport because I love it so this is a complete bonus.

“I haven’t reached the standard for the heptathlon, but Belize have granted me a wildcard place which means that I can represent them in a track event, which is why I’m only doing the 100m hurdles.”

Sealy, the Belize flagbearer at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has a personal best of 15.20 secs, a time that would place her just inside the top 100 women in Britain this year.

That time is a full three seconds slower than the world record-breaking run by American Keni Harrison at the Anniversary Games in London last weekend.

But she said: “The aim is to go out there, run a personal best, enjoy it and get Belize on the map at the Olympics.”

Sealy’s Belize team-mates are 200m runner Brandon Jones and judoka Renick James.