Kelly Sotherton tearful after proving her race isn't run

The former Olympic heptathlon bronze medallist feared she would be forced to retire last year after suffering a prolapsed disc in her back.

It did force the 34-year-old to quit the heptathlon and even consider a switch to track cycling, but opting for the 400m instead looks like paying off after she won a first national title on the track in Sheffield. "I feel quite emotional because a year ago I was told my career could be over," Sotherton said.

"When I prolapsed the disc in my back it was career-threatening and I had to make a decision whether to end my career or try something new.

"The last four months my team have really believed in me so I feel this is for them as well as me. It's very emotional, I don't think I've ever cried and been happy at the same time."

Sotherton's winning time of 53.46 seconds was outside the qualifying time of 53.00secs for next month's European Indoor Championships in Paris, but she will now attempt to rectify that at the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham next weekend.

"I haven't focused on the indoors, I just jumped in to get back into competition," added Sotherton, who finished second behind Jenny Meadows in the same race in 2003, but left Meadows down in fifth yesterday. "I'm still in heavy training. I would have liked to run faster, my training has gone very well, but it's about learning the race and I have to remember I am blowing away cobwebs and dust.

"If I get the qualifying in a good time, maybe I'll do the individual in Paris. I'll definitely do the relay but unless I run another second off that time I may not consider myself."

Meadows was emotional for entirely different reasons, the world 800m bronze medallist from Wigan at a loss to explain such a poor run in the final after cruising through the heats and semi-finals on Saturday.

"I don't know what happened really," said Meadows, who will focus on the 800m in Paris. "I felt really good the first 150m and then I got trapped and that's what 400m indoor running is about.

"I suppose the positive thing is it's got me used to the tactics of indoors. In the 800m it's not as vicious, you've got a bit more time to think about it.

"I lost my rhythm and ran wide and probably had a bit of a hissy fit on the back straight if I'm honest. I'm devastated, I definitely came here to win it."

The 400m final was the highlight of an otherwise low-key day, with local favourite Jessica Ennis pulling out of the long jump and 60 metres hurdles as an injury precaution.

Ennis easily won the high jump on Saturday, one of four events she was scheduled to compete, but passed on her final attempt at 1.91 metres after feeling some tightness in her ankle.

She returned to the English Institute of Sport, where she trains every day in her home city, several hours later to finish seventh in the shot, but decided it was not worth taking a chance with her fitness.