Twenty-five-year-old Jersey decathlete Evan Campbell is about to hit the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, set to debut against the discipline’s “top guys.” He’s not just showing up though, this dude is coming in ready to learn, soaking up everything from the absolute legends of the sport. It’s a massive moment for Campbell, and he is laser-focused on growth, not just the scoreboard.
From Bronze to the Big Stage: Campbell’s Climb
Campbell isn’t new to lighting it up. In 2025, he snagged a bronze at the UK Indoor Championships. That same year, he was the Island Games champion in the 110m hurdles, proving he’s got serious speed and skill. This isn’t just some overnight sensation, either. Campbell came up through the Jersey Spartans Athletic club and is part of Jersey Sport’s Performance Sport Programme. His early career had its injury battles, but he made a huge move in 2025 to Manchester to get better training facilities, especially for his pole vault game. Talk about dedication! He knows improved performance means grinding it out, both in training and with who you connect with.
Picking Brains With Legends
Campbell is headed into Glasgow with a seriously cool strategy: he wants to “pick the brains” of the top decathletes. He even got to spend some time recently in America with Damian Warner, the 2020 Olympic decathlon champion, who is also competing in Glasgow. That’s next-level networking right there. Campbell said it’s “exciting because I’ve watched people on TV since I was a kid, so it’s all a bit surreal, really.” He wants to see “how it sounds when they throw a javelin or how it looks when they pop out the blocks” because that stuff “rubs off on you.” He’s chasing that intangible edge, that little something extra that comes from being around the very best. He’s hoping it “brings something else out of me” and helps him “raise my performances.” This isn’t just a competition, it’s a masterclass.
Making History, No Pressure
It gets even bigger for Campbell. He and heptathlete Lucy Woodward are about to make history in Glasgow, becoming the first two athletes from Jersey to compete in multi-event disciplines. They’re part of a five-strong athletics squad and the 21 competitors Jersey is sending makes it their biggest team ever. Campbell admits it’s “hard to wrap your head around these history-making moments,” but he’s not letting it get to him. He’s bringing confidence, especially after setting a personal best decathlon score of 7,282 points last summer. Yet, he isn’t feeling any pressure. He hasn’t set targets for where he wants to finish, because “you just can’t really control that.” He just wants to go for a personal best, “enjoy the experience and make the most of it.”
This Commonwealth Games is just the start for Evan Campbell. He’s looking forward to two grueling days of competition across 10 events, hoping to be in the sport for another decade. His focus is clear: soak it all in, appreciate the moment, and most importantly, just enjoy it. You love to see that kind of passion.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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