McConnell claims third UK title

JUST when you were wondering if Lee McConnell was running out of steam, a dominant performance at the Aviva UK Championships in Birmingham yesterday proved her competitive fires remain fully stoked. For so long the distinguished torch-bearer of Scottish Athletics, irritating injuries and the even peskier ageing process had begun to cast doubt on the Glaswegian's durability as a new generation of young British single-lappers cast covetous glances towards her spot in the Great Britain team.

McConnell will not cede it lightly. With this weekend's event doubling as trials for next month's European Championships in Barcelona, she claimed her third UK title in blistering fashion, finishing five metres clear of rival and relay colleague, Nicola Sanders. Her time, 51.55 seconds, was a season's best but was just five-hundredths short of securing an automatic individual place in Team GB.

If only, she lamented, Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu had not pulled out through injury, she might have had the extra stimulus. "It's difficult to push yourself over that last 100," she said. "That's the situation I've been in the last three races. It's hard to push yourself on your own. But that's the best race I've been in this year. The main thing is I'm enjoying racing. I've had a hard few years but this year I've not been injured. I've enjoyed turning up to races feeling confident and ready, rather than not knowing what was going to happen."

Her relay place, at least, is all but assured. McConnell, however, craves a solo berth. "I'll go to Madrid next Saturday and try again," she declared.

All the better for Scottish athletics if she succeeds. When the British team lands in Catalonia, it's Caledonian representation could total a pitiful two with only Eilidh Child, absent here through illness, likely to be included when UKA head coach Charles van Commenee draws up his definite list. The Dutchman is not known for sentiment. Simply, there are no others currently deserving of a summons.

Hen Paxton has ambitions to join the elite but Barcelona might come too soon. However, a new Scottish pole vault record of 4.35 provided indication that she is moving in the right direction. The Birchfield Harrier failed twice at the height before surpassing herself. "It's good that I kept my cool," she declared. "I would have loved to have got 4.45 today and have that European qualifying in the bag." But it was not to be. Her efforts were matched by Holly Bleasdale, with a new UK junior best, but both bowed to Kate Dennison who cleared 4.45 before her attempts at a new British record fell short.

"I'm just so glad to have been part of a competition where there were there girls over 4.35," said Paxton. "It's not happened before in this country."

There were slim pickings for Scots elsewhere. Steph Twell bore most expectation but the former world junior champion is still finding the transition to senior ranks awkward. The Twickenham-based prodigy was off the pace, languishing in fifth in the 1,500 metres, pipped on the line by fellow Scotland international Morag McLarty in a race won superbly by Hannah England.

Central AC's Ali Hay was the third-fastest qualifier for the men's 1500 metres final tonight while Jude Beimers set a new PB of 7.74 in coming fourth behind Chris Tomlinson in the long jump, an agonising nine centimetres outside Commonwealth Games qualifying mark.

Elsewhere, Dwain Chambers could not repeat his sub-10-second sprint of eight days ago but his 10.14 showing brought the Londoner a fourth UK 100 metres title as consolation. "Today was only about winning and qualifying," he said. "It's every athlete's fantasy to run for their country and I'm honoured to be able to win here again."

Laura Turner won the women's 100 metres while world bronze medallist Jenny Meadows has withdrawn from today's 800 metres final as a precaution against an Achilles problem.