24 June 2010

England might be looking for a major European scalp on Sunday, but this weekend will also see Britain’s athletes compete for their own chance of European glory where a fine performance by Rooney (Martyn) is at least likely. Here are the athletes to look out for at the Aviva European Trials and UK Championships at the Alexander Stadium, starting tomorrow.

MARTYN ROONEY – 400m

A blistering performance in Geneva on June 12 saw the Loughborough based athlete cross the line in 44.99, making him the only athlete to dip below the elusive 45 mark so far this season. He took to the track at the SPAR European Team Championships which were held in Norway last weekend and still has the European Championships in Barcelona left on his international calendar.

ANDY TURNER – 110m Hurdles

National champion Turner is on scintillating form this season having clocked 13.37 at the Manchester City Games on 16 May. The 2009 and 2010 SPAR European Team Championships winner will be looking to defend his national title from challenger William Sharman and ensure selection for the European Championships in a bid to improve on the bronze medal he won at the last European Championships in 2006.

DAI GREENE – 400m Hurdles

Greene showed he is the favourite for a European medal after crossing the line in 48.96 at the European athletics Festival in Poland at the beginning of June. Greene went onto the final of the World Championships last summer and showed real maturity at the recent SPAR European Team Championships when he got the Aviva GB and NI team off to a winning start.

PHILLIPS IDOWU – Triple Jump

Reigning World champion Idowu will be looking to claim his sixth national title and secure himself a place on the Aviva GB and NI team for the European Championships.  With fellow Europeans Teddy Tamgho, World indoor record holder, and Christian Olsson providing stiff competition, Idowu will be aiming for an impressive performance to ensure a podium finish. The Brit lost out to Tamgho in New York recently, but finished ahead of him in Bergen last weekend.

MICHAEL RIMMER – 800m

2008 Olympian Rimmer has enjoyed a fantastic start to the season with a season’s best performance of 1:44.98 which he achieved at the Oslo leg of the Samsung Diamond League series on June 4. Currently sitting second in the European rankings, Rimmer, who has won the UK title for the last four years, finished in eighth place at the 2006 European Championships, while last weekend in Norway he came through the home straight to finish in second.

ANDY BADDELEY – 1500m

Baddeley will be looking to make a claim for the National title to ensure his selection for the European Championships. The Olympic finalist, who was ranked fourth in Europe after running 3:35.50 at the Rome Diamond League on June 10, finished in a respectable sixth place at the 2006 European Championships but as his form has improved dramatically since then, he will undoubtedly be aiming for medal glory in Barcelona this time around.

JENNY MEADOWS – 800m

Meadows confirmed herself as Britain’s top 800m runner with a bronze at the World Championships in 2009. She has gone on to enjoy a fantastic start to the year which saw her claim the silver medal at the World Indoor Championships in March. Having run a highly encouraging 1:58.89 at the Diamond League in Rome on 10 June, Meadows will be looking to triumph at the UK Championships, something that the World indoor and outdoor medallist is yet to do.

JESSICA ENNIS – Heptathlon

The reigning World heptathlon and pentathlon champion is on superlative form this season. A fantastic performance in Gotzis in May saw her triumph over a tough field which included the three Olympic medallists from Beijing, enhancing her position as the World’s number one. Ennis goes into the trials as the UK’s number one ranked high jumper, long jumper and sprint hurdler and will head to the European Championships with the aim of bringing home the gold and possibly, in turn, breaking my British heptathlon record.

DWAIN CHAMBERS – 100m

Britain’s number one sprinter claimed gold at the World Indoor Championships in March and has since continued his fine form into the outdoor season, opening with 10.11s in Rio De Janeiro last month. Last weekend Chambers broke the SPAR European Team Championship record when he dipped under 10 seconds, to win the 100m in 9.99s. In doing so he became the fastest European this season and beat French favourite Christophe Memaitre, who will be a hot contender for Barcelona.

GOLDIE SAYERS – Javelin Throw

Sayers is heading to the trials with the aim of winning her eighth consecutive national title. An eighth successive win in the same event would be a unique achievement in the 130 year history of the UK Championships. She became the National record holder in 2007 with a throw of 65.05m at Loughborough and has since improved the record to 65.75m, a distance she achieved at the Beijing Olympics where she finished just outside the medals in fourth place. After finishing a fine second at the SPAR European Team Championships in Bergen at the weekend, the Suffolk born athlete will be looking for a podium finish at the European Championships.