Eilidh Child has paid tribute to 400m hurdles rival and fellow Great Britain & Northern Ireland team mate Perri Shakes-Drayton.

Child believes the excellence of Drayton has improved the overall quality of British 400m women’s hurdling.

Unfortunately Drayton won’t defend her Sainsbury’s British Championship title later this month as she is recovering from knee surgery after she tore the posterior cruciate ligament and cartilage in her left knee last year. 

“It’s nice to have Perri around as I don’t know if I’d be as good as I am without her there,” revealed the 27-year-old.

“You always find that if one person excels in an event it brings everybody else on.  I don’t think people appreciate the effect that other athletes have. Having Perri around has really brought me on and helped me get ready for the major championships.

“It’s also bringing people like Meghan Beesley on and youngsters such as Hayley McLean and Shona Richards.”

It’s set to be a busy summer for the Pitreavie athlete with the Commonwealth Games, European Championships, European Team Championships on the horizon and not to mention the Sainsbury’s British Championships and Sainsbury’s Glasgow Grand Prix.

“I’m so excited for the Sainsbury’s Glasgow Grand Prix.  It’s going to be like a warm up for the Commonwealth Games,” said Child.

“It’s the first chance we’re going to get to run on this track at Hampden, which has just been unveiled and so it’s going to be amazing to run on that track, soak up the atmosphere. It’s just going to be an invaluable experience.

“I think everybody is really looking forward to it. A few of my friends who didn’t get tickets for the Commonwealth’s are able to come to this event and appreciate the atmosphere and it’s going to be like their Commonwealth Games.”

Tickets are on sale for both the Sainsbury’s British Championships in Birmingham and the Sainsbury’s Glasgow Grand Prix here: http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/british-athletics-series/home/