Team GB beaten into second but win the aspiration race

On THE wish list of Great Britain's leading athletes, it's fair to assume that the shiny silver trophy which was awarded to the victors of yesterday's Aviva International Match in Glasgow holds a fairly low ranking in comparison to other accolades on the horizon. Yet with less than 500 days until they step on to the track in east London, coveting Olympic glory, momentum is a priceless advantage that can now be banked for future use.

At the outset of a year which offers both world championships outdoors and a European title indoors, Team GB gathered for the first time at the Kelvin Hall but came off second best to Germany in the overall standings. "It's disappointing," admitted Jenny Meadows. "But there is a bigger picture there."

The world 800 metres bronze medallist was one of just four home victors at the Kelvin Hall in the five-team indoor encounter, which also included the elite of the USA, Sweden and the Commonwealth. It was a fine debut for the Wigan-based athlete who set out her stall for 2011 by breezing away from a field which also included her presumed British challenger Marilyn Okoro.

"I always start my season here and this is by far the quickest I've gone," said Meadows, whose initial time of 2:01.17 bodes well for the European indoors. "I'm optimistic after last year. I've given myself a tough target in 2011 and fingers crossed, I stay injury-free."

Jessica Ennis will share those hopes and aspirations. The reigning world heptathlon champion will accept nothing less than retaining her omnipotent status this year and in her pre-event captain's speech, she urged her colleagues to aim high. Her third place in the long jump in 6.38 metres was self-ranked as just "2 out of 10". Victory in the 60 metres hurdles, in 7.97 seconds, earned several points more.

Her coach Toni Minichiello is harder to please. He shook his head in disapproval. Almost perfect is not in his lexicon. Never mind that Ennis had seen off the world No.1 Lolo Jones who hit the third hurdle and dropped out of view, as well as Tiffany Ofili, American-raised but newly repatriated to the UK where her mother was born.

"I didn't think my start was that good," Ennis declared. Just short of her British record, it was a minor defect. "I always come in looking for a good quality race but I thought I was a bit fluky last year. But that's given me confidence."

Jones was cursing her fate, vanquished here for the second successive year. Like her American team-mates, she was stranded by snow at Newark Airport, only arriving in Glasgow on Friday morning. Poor technique, rather than jet lag, was to blame she said, although a rogue fire alarm at the event hotel failed to cheer. "I reckon it was the Brits playing a prank on us," she joked.

Mark Lewis-Francis has more serious concerns.Not content with the pair of silvers he collected in Barcelona and Delhi last year, the Birmingham sprinter knows eyes are now upon him. His victorious time of 6.66 seconds in the 60 metres was no great shakes, he admitted, but there is more in reserve. "There's more pressure on me now and the Kelvin Hall is a big meeting," he said. "But I came out, did enough to win and I was happy with the time."

Britain's other victory arrived courtesy of Helen Clitheroe in the 3,000 metres who bolted away from the field. Behind, Scotland's Laura Kenney was pipped on the line by Alison Kieffer of the USA in a chase for second but she was satisfied in a first indoor run for two years. "I was careful early on because I got married at Christmas and I know I'm not where I need to be," she said. "I wanted to stay with the pack but it went well and I was determined not to let her past me. But she did it just on the line."

Elsewhere, there was a tough baptism on the senior stage for Sarah Kelly, the teenager from Cupar finding herself well off the pace in the 1,500 metres. The Dundee University student, a finalist in last year's world junior championships, had only returned on Thursday from a three-week spell of training in Kenya but failed to underline her potential with a time of 4:35.80, far behind the race winner, Mercy Njoroge.

"It was really tough," said Kelly who is coached by Liz McColgan. "One moment I was with them, the next they were gone. But it was good experience."

Another teenage prospect, Holly Bleasdale, built on the promise she showed in becoming a world junior bronze medallist, moving into second in the UK's all-time pole vault rankings with a jump of 4.48 metres.