4th February 2013

GRABARZ LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN 2013

4th February 2013

Two weeks after his season opener in Glasgow, Olympic high jump bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz (coach: Fayyaz Ahmed) has announced that he will compete at the British Athletics European Trials and UK Championships in Sheffield on Sunday 10th February.

Grabarz, who won European Championship gold during a successful 2012, opened his 2013 campaign with a second place finish at the British Athletics Glasgow International Match and in clearing 2.29m secured the qualification standard for the European Indoor Championships. 

“2012 was a crazy year for me and I could never have predicted the success that I had. This year has started pretty well after jumping 2.29m at the British Athletics Glasgow International Match but now I want to kick on and go even higher in Sheffield.”

With just a top two finish required to secure a place on the GB & NI team for Gothenburg, the 25 year old will be looking for his maiden indoor UK title after three silver and a bronze medal over the last four years.

“I thrive off competing in front of British crowds and I’m sure they’ll get behind me again in Sheffield. I want to have a strong indoor season with a good performance at the European Indoors to set me up for outdoors so that I can go to the World Championships and challenge for a medal.”

With the IAAF World Championships the main focus for Grabarz in 2013, the European Champion has set his sights on becoming the sole British outdoor record holder, after equaling Steve Smith’s height of 2.37m in the Lausanne Diamond League last year.

“There’s always something that you can pick apart and improve upon. I want that British outdoor record all to myself as opposed to sharing it with Steve Smith – I know there’s still more in the tank.”

Tom Parsons (Aston Moore), who jumped a stadium record of 2.31m in 2011, will be looking to reproduce that form that secured him the UK title ahead of Grabarz. Allan Smith (Bryan Roy) will also be looking to build on his impressive start to the indoor season after jumping a Scottish native record of 2.23m at the British Athletics Glasgow International Match in January.  

Tickets are on sale for the British Athletics Series. Visit www.britishathletics.org.uk for more information.

Grabarz will be doing a live Q&A tomorrow on Twitter from Gateshead #gateshead2013. Tweet your questions using #askrobbieg