Posted: February 22, 2005

Athletics: Still Undecided, Holmes Leads UK Squad For European Championships

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Bob Ramsak

Kelly Holmes leads the British team announced today for next month's EAA European Indoor Championships, but the double Olympic champion has yet to decide which event, if any, she will contest in Madrid.

"I have requested to be entered for both the 800m and 1500m," Holmes said, "so that I can keep my options open and decide whether or not I will compete closer to the date of competition. My next few training sessions will help me decide if I can be confident of a good performance in Madrid."

Holmes, who returned to her winter training base in Potchestroom, South Africa, yesterday, has indicated in recent weeks that the 1500 may be her preferred distance for the March 4-6 competition in the Spanish capital. Under championships rules, she does not have to declare her participation until 24 hours prior to the competition's start.

In her only two races this year, Holmes ran to comfortable wins in the 1500 (4:14.74) at the Norwich Union meeting in Glasgow on 29-January and last Friday in the 1000 (2:35.39) in Birmingham, but in both cases against modest competition.

Also named to the UK team today were James McIlroy and Jimmy Watkins in the 800; Ed Jackson, Neil Speaight, and James Thie in the 1500; and Andrew Baddeley, Mohamed Farah and John Mayock in the 3000. Besides Holmes, Helen Clitheroe (1500) and Jo Pavey (3000) round out the women's middle & long distance squad. McIlroy lowered his personal best in the 800 to 1:46.68 while Pavey has twice run under 8:43.00 in the 3000, the fastest this year by a European. Both will arrive in Madrid as medal favorites.

Next month's Madrid competition will the last major championship for outgoing UK Athletics Performance Director Max Jones. "The European Indoor Championships always provide a chance for the young and inexperienced to make a name for themselves, and the current indoor season has produced some exciting new talent," said Jones. "Madrid is the first small step on a long journey to Beijing and the 2008 Olympic Games – but for some of the emerging athletes, this will be a very important step."