Commonwealth Games silver medallist Tiffany Porter claims the disappointment she suffered at the 2015 World Championships is now inspiring her after claiming the British indoor 60m title in Sheffield on Sunday.
The 28-year-old – who won 100m hurdles silver at Glasgow 2014 – outclassed the rest of the field in the Steel City to win by seven-hundredths of a second, with another Team England competitor Serita Solomon taking silver and Lucy Hatton completing the podium.
The gold medal secures Porter’s place on the British team bound for the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland in March, but after finishing fifth at last year’s Worlds in Beijing, she insists she is more determined than ever to aim for success with the Rio Olympics also on the horizon.
“I’m really happy to come away with the win but it was a bit sloppy – overall it was quite good though,” she said.
“I’m using Beijing disappointment as motivation this year. It all happened very quickly, I need to start quicker but my finish was okay.
“British hurdling is in phenomenal shape right now, I’m very happy to be pushed. Now I need to focus on the last bits of preparations for Portland.
“I’m racing in the Czech Republic next weekend and then I am going into the IAAF World Indoors hoping to win, like I do ahead of every race.”
Tom Bosworth also gave the capacity crowd plenty to cheer about as he smashed his own British record in the men’s 3,000m walk, knocking 17 seconds off the mark he set just last month.
The 26-year-old, who finished 11th for Team England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, retained the title he won last year by clocking 10:58.21 minutes.
And with European and World Championships experience now under his belt, Bosworth believes the hard work is only just beginning if he is to make his mark in Rio.
He said: “The really serious stuff starts now. I have got the 20km Olympic qualifying time and I want to get better and improve my PB.
“I want to go to the Olympics knowing that I can be up there with the best. I have been getting quicker and quicker over short distances, and now I want to do it over 20km and show that I can do it internationally as well.”
Elsewhere, 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist Toby Harries won the men’s 200m as the 17-year-old clocked 21.13 seconds while Delhi 2010 silver medallist Meghan Beesley triumphed in the 400m.
Glasgow 2014 competitors Charlie Grice and Hannah England won the men’s and women’s 1500m respectively on day two in Sheffield but on day one Lee Emanuel notched his second indoor 3000m title as Rachel Wallader broke the stadium record in the women’s shot put with a throw of 17.23m.
Asha Philip held off double Commonwealth Youth Games gold medallist Dina Asher-Smith to win a scintillating women’s 60m in a season’s best time of 7.10 seconds.
Philip – who was part of the England 4x100m relay team that won bronze at Glasgow 2014 – booked her spot for the World Indoor Championships and believes she is getting better week by week.
She said: “I am happy to get the win. I didn’t do any indoors last year so I was a bit rusty but I am getting faster, so it is going well for the World Indoors.”
Sportsbeat 2016