11 August 2009

North East sprinter Victoria Barr has confirmed she will be amongst the athletes competing in the forthcoming Aviva British Grand Prix at the Gateshead International Stadium on Monday, 31 August.

A 400m specialist, 27-year old Barr is currently part of the 4 x 400m relay squad preparing for the World Championships in Berlin at the Aviva preparation camp in Monte Gordo, Portugal.

She today confirmed that she will run the one lap sprint in Gateshead and is using her dream of returning to the North East with a medal as her World Championship motivation.

With a season’s best of 52.44 and a European Indoor silver medal from the relays already,  Barr said, “It would be great to come back home with a World Championship medal. Can you imagine what it will be like to show that off to the crowd?

“I love performing in front of friends and family. It gives me such a boost and they give me such a great reception. Hopefully, I’ll have performed well enough in Berlin to deserve it!”

Packing out the Gateshead International Stadium, the north east public will be in for another star studded event at the Aviva British Grand Prix to finish off the UKA major events season. Only a week after the World Championships, it is the first chance the UK public will have to see the returning champions and athletes from Berlin.

For her part, Barr anticipates a great show at the event. “Having the Aviva British Grand Prix right after the World Championships and on a Bank Holiday will hopefully mean we get a good crowd.

“The event always has a great mix of domestic and international athletes, so it should be a good show. Nobody is taking their foot of the gas, just because the World Championships are over!”

The World Championships will also be the perfect warm up for Barr, as she is part of a strong team that includes the likes of Lee McConnell, Christine Ohuruogu, Marilyn Okoro, Nicola Sanders and Perri Shakes-Drayton. Though she may well face some of them at the Aviva British Grand Prix, Barr is hoping they can collectively achieve great things together in Berlin and help her arrive back home victorious.

Tickets for the Aviva British Grand Prix at Gateshead International Stadium, Gateshead on Monday 31^st August are available by phone on 08000 556 056 or online at www.uka.org.uk