27 June 2008

European indoor champion Nicola Sanders admits she can’t wait to return to the scene of her biggest win when she competes for her Olympic spot at the Aviva National Championships in Birmingham in a fortnight.

Sanders will be among a host of leading British stars competing at the three-day championships where competition for Olympic places will be hotly contested. The event is back in Birmingham for the first time since 2003.

Sanders claimed her first major championship gold medal with a stunning win at last year’s European Indoor Championships at the National Indoor Arena.

She will return to the city’s Alexander Stadium on July 11 to 13 for a meeting that will decide Britain’s team for the Olympic Games in Beijing later this summer.

And the 26-year-old says she’ll travel to the Midlands with great confidence after winning the 400m at last weekend’s European Cup.

Sanders said: “After kick-starting my season by winning at the European Cup I am now hoping to build on that at the Aviva National Championships.

"Birmingham is a great athletics city and has been good to me. I enjoyed one of my biggest ever successes in the city when I won European gold there and I’ll be hoping for a similar performance in a fortnight to clinch my place for Beijing.”

Sanders will be among a host of leading British stars competing at the three-day championships. The event is back in Birmingham for the first time since 2003.

Tickets for the Aviva National Championships at the Birmingham Alexander Stadium on 11,12 & 13 July 2008 are available by phone on 08000 556 056 or online at www.ukathletics.net