Monday 1 August 2011

Third place for Ohuruogu

Athletics: Third place for Ohuruogu
Christine Ohuruogu insists there is "no crisis" ahead of next month's World Championships, despite only finishing third in the UK Trials in Birmingham.
Ohuruogu needed to put in a late surge to come home behind hurdles specialist Perri Shakes-Drayton and Shana Cox in the 400 metres, the event in which she won the Olympic title in 2008 and World Championship gold in Osaka in 2007.
The 27-year-old has not broken 50 seconds since the Olympic final in 2008, while her season's best of 51.49 seconds leaves her a lowly 33rd in the world rankings.
But despite only managing 51.91secs at the Alexander Stadium, Ohuruogu insisted: "I'm happy with that. I'll honestly go home and be happy with that.
"I would have liked to have won it but it's a lack of training I think. It's two back-to-back races I really needed. We had a really good field today [Sunday]. I think it's the first time in ages we've had all of us together in one race. It's nice to have five, six quality 400m girls rather than just two or three.
"It was good for Perri and Shana to join us to really try and make everyone run harder."
Asked about her prospects in Daegu, Ohuruogu added: "I'll just wing it. I went to Osaka running 53 seconds so nothing's a crisis."
The first two in the trials were guaranteed selection for Daegu if they hold the 'A' standard, but with Shakes-Drayton concentrating on the 400m hurdles and America-born Cox not yet eligible, Ohuruogu will technically have to rely on a discretionary place available to selectors when the team is selected on August 8.

There were no such problems for Dwain Chambers in the 100m, the 33-year-old winning his fifth UK title to seal his place on the plane for Daegu.
"I tell you what, it's not getting any easier," admitted Chambers, who won in 10.09secs ahead of Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and 35-year-old Marlon Devonish, who both clocked 10.14. Mark Lewis-Francis was disqualified from the final for a false start.
"My age is kicking in now," Chambers continued. "But I relish the competition because that's what brings out the best in all of us. It keeps me on my toes.
"The main thing is I have to keep myself healthy and that's going to be difficult because my wife had a baby girl two nights ago. My duties are going to be double, but hopefully I can repeat my sixth from two years ago at the World Championships."
In the women's race, Olympic finalist Jeanette Kwakye put her injury nightmare behind her with victory in 11.23, ahead of Anyika Onuora and Laura Turner.
Kwakye has been plagued by injuries since reaching the Beijing final and said: "It's amazing to be back. There were times when I thought I would need a knee replacement so to be back running as fast as 2008 is a blessing."
Elsewhere, there were no qualification worries for defending world heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis, who nevertheless competed in three events, with two more planned on Sunday.
The 25-year-old equalled her outdoor personal best of 14.25m in the shot, won the high jump with a best of 1.89m and then finished second in the 100m hurdles in 12.96 behind new British record holder Tiffany Porter (12.76).
"It's nice to do five events and not have to end with the 800m like the heptathlon, but my legs were a bit dead by the hurdles final," Ennis said.
"I wanted to put some events together and see how it's going. After this weekend I'm hoping to do a hurdles race in Loughborough the week before we go out to Daegu. That'll be it.
"I would put the whole performance as okay. I'm just hope I'm saving the big performances for a few weeks' time."
In the 400m hurdles, Nathan Woodward booked his place in Daegu with an impressive victory, but second-placed Richard Davenport failed to achieve the 'A' standard and an automatic place despite a personal best of 49.76.
Davenport now has a week left to achieve the time of 49.40. If he fails to do so, the selectors may well select European Under-23 champion Jack Green instead, along with European and Commonwealth champion Dai Greene.
Green was "gutted" to miss the trials through illness and would have missed out on Daegu if Welshman Rhys Williams finished in to the top two on Sunday. Williams had the 'A' standard but could only finish fourth.
Meanwhile, Greene shrugged off the effects of a virus to set a new personal best of 45.95 in the 400m, reaching Sunday's final as he looks to secure a place on the 4x400m relay squad.
None of Britain's athletes have yet achieved the 'A' standard of 45.25, while Michael Bingham - fastest this year with a time of 45.42 - did not even make the final after finishing third in heat three.
Hannah England claimed a narrow victory ahead of Lisa Dobriskey in the women's 1,500m, while Jenny Meadows and Marilyn Okoro headed the qualifiers for Sunday's 800m final.

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