Doha in sight as Clitheroe ups pace
She may have turned 36 in January but Preston's Helen Clitheroe showed no signs of age as she all but sealed her place on the plane to Doha with 1500m gold at the Aviva World Trials and National Championships.
The Preston Harrier endured a disappointing 2009 as she failed to reach the final of the steeplechase at the World Championships – clocking a time 12 seconds outside her personal best in Berlin.
But she returned to form with a bang this year, claiming the 3000m title at the Aviva International in Glasgow last month before cruising to the 1500m title in Sheffield at the weekend in a time of 4.13.90.
And with her time over a second inside the required qualifying time, the veteran has done everything humanly possible to earn selection when the GB team is named on February 23.
"I've done everything I can do – I got the qualifying time and won the trials, so I hope I'm picked. Then I'll need to get a little nippier before I go to Doha," she said.
"I'm really happy to get the qualifying time for Doha.
"I have run the time twice already last week so I knew I was in good shape coming in.
"I was able to control it from start to finish and felt really comfortable throughout.
"It is good to be in that box seat, not everyone enjoys it but it suits my style. My training has been going really well and everything is coming together at the right time.
"I have Doha to look forward to now and I can't wait to get out there and run the 1500m."
Full story in Tuesday's Lancashire Evening Post
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Weather for Preston
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 2 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South east
