PLYMOUTH hurdler David King will be looking for a personal best performance on Saturday when he competes at the British Indoor Championships in Sheffield.
King is hoping to secure one of Great Britain’s two spots in the men’s 60m hurdles at next month’s World Indoor Championships in Portland, USA.
However, to guarantee that, the City of Plymouth athlete will have to win on Saturday and run 7.65 seconds or under.
The second spot on the team will be decided afterwards and that is likely to go to the second-placed athlete at the trials providing they have the qualifying time.
King has run 7.66 seconds this season but the tough qualifying mark GB has set is one hundredth of a second quicker at 7.65, which is quite a bit faster than the IAAF’s own standard of 7.72.
Fellow Brits Andy Pozzi (7.61) and Lawrence Clark (7.65) have already achieved the mark, while European Under-23 outdoor champion David Omoregie (7.68) is just behind King in the UK rankings.
King has already proved he is world class this season with impressive performances in top fields at Ghent in Belgium and last week at the Glasgow Grand Prix, where he reached the final.
But this weekend it is all about the domestic battle in an event where Britain has a lot of strength in depth.
King says he is in confident mood going into the trials after his fifth-placed finish at the Glasgow last weekend.
The 21-year-old progressed through from a strong heat, which included world number one Dimitri Bascou.
In the final, King finished just behind British number one Clarke.
China’s Wenjun Xie won in 7.63 seconds, America’s Kevin Craddock was second in 7.71 seconds, which was also the same time given to Bascou in third. Clarke clocked 7.76 with 21-year-old King, by far the youngest in the field, crossing in 7.81
Afterwards he said: “Very pleased with fifth in the final at the Glasgow. It wasn’t the day for quick times but it was a great experience nonetheless. Safe to say I’m ready for the British Athletics Championships!”
Fellow Plymouth athlete Mike Wilsmore will also be in action at Sheffield this weekend.
He will compete in the 1,500m, where he is currently ranked 11th in the UK with 3:48.47.
Tamar Trotters’ Wilsmore, who recently made his England debut, will be looking to get closer to his PB set four years ago of 3:44.41.
Scotland’s Chris O’Hare is currently ranked number one in the UK at that distance with a time of 3:37.88.