Bermuda’s middle-distance star Nirobi Smith-Mills has returned from a grueling high-altitude training camp in South Africa, describing the experience as a vital stepping stone toward his Commonwealth Games ambitions.
The 800-meter specialist spent several weeks in Potchefstroom—a renowned hub for elite international athletes—utilizing the unique environmental challenges of the region to build his aerobic engine ahead of the 2026 track season. Situated 1,300 meters above sea level, the camp provided the heat and thin air necessary to push Smith-Mills beyond the limits of his typical UK training environment.
“The main purpose was the altitude and the heat,” Smith-Mills explained. “Being at altitude, your heart rate just skyrockets, so we had to take it a bit easier during that first week while we adjusted.”
The process was strictly scientific, with Smith-Mills working alongside Loughborough labs to track threshold zones through lactate testing. Training alongside global icons like Timothy Cheruiyot and Keely Hodgkinson, the Bermudian focused on high-volume work, including 12x400m repetitions, to establish a powerful base.
With a season opener set for mid-May and the National Championships in June, Smith-Mills is now eyeing the August Commonwealth Games. “I’m feeling fit, feeling fast, and looking forward to the season,” he said. “I’m just proud of the work we’re putting in now to take that next step.”
