Athletics: Tiffany Porter vows to counter 'Plastic Brit' accusation

TIFFANY Porter has attempted to set the record straight and shatter the "myths" surrounding her decision to switch allegiance from America to Britain.

Sprint hurdler Porter has been labelled one of the "Plastic Brits" who have recently become eligible to compete for Britain, joining the likes of Anguillan-born long-jumper Shara Proctor and American-born 400m runner Shana Cox.

But 23-year-old Porter insists she is proud of her British heritage - her mother Lillian was born in London - and that money and an easy place on teams for the World Championships and Olympics were not behind the move.

"I'm very excited and very fired up to compete for GB right now," said Porter, who broke Angie Thorp's 15-year-old British record in the 100m hurdles this year - something Thorp claims left her "absolutely distraught".

"I look at it as a year to let the media and the public know who I am and to dispel any myths there are about me."

Asked what those myths were, Michigan-born Porter added: "The fact that people think I switched allegiance because it would be easier to make the team, or I'm doing it for money.

"Anybody who knows me knows that those are as far from the truth as possible. I've had dual citizenship since birth. My mum has always told me about my British-American-Nigerian background. It's who I am. The financial aspect was not a motivational feature at all. I am sponsored by Adidas so financially I'm OK. I didn't do it for the money."

Porter made her British debut in the European Indoor Championships in Paris this year and recently lowered her British 100m record to 12.60 seconds.