European Athletics (EAA) – Farah and Meadows top the Birmingham bill

After creating so much noise in the Olympic Stadium as he won double gold that the photo-finish camera became distorted as the venue shook, Mo Farah on Saturday will give 8,000 fans at the National Indoor Arena (NIA) in Birmingham something to shout about. In fact, it is likely he will be roared on for every step of the 3000m at the British Athletics Grand Prix.

One of the biggest events before the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg features a star-studded cast.

But the showpiece race will be the return of double Olympic champion Farah for his first run indoors this winter.

It remains unlikely that he will be in Sweden to defend the 3000m crown he won spectacularly in Paris in 2011 but if this race tomorrow is his only indoor performance of the season, he will want to win. And in style too.

"I always love running in Birmingham and have fond memories of celebrating my Olympic success with the British fans at Alexander Stadium last August," said Farah, who won the 5,000m and 10,000m double at London 2012.

"I always run well at the NIA. I won this meet in 2007, 2009 and 2011 and that's what I will be aiming to do at the British Athletics Grand Prix."

He has been training in Iten in Kenya and added: "I had a great 2012 but you have to forget that and keep training. I definitely want to do well in the World Championships in August so that's my main goal.

"I have to try and think about 2013."

One athlete who is also thinking very much about 2013 is Jenny Meadows.

Tomorrow is a big day too for Britain's 800m gold medallist from the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Paris as she makes her long-awaited comeback.

Back in 2011, Meadows looked set to be one of the team's big hopes for an Olympic medal the following year before a series of tendon and Achilles injuries struck.

The pain of not competing at a home Games was something that she had to deal with, but she never gave up. Or gave in.

Now she returns to the track for the first time since September 2011 and is right back in at the deep end in as tough a race as you could imagine.

Meadows will face Russian Ekaterina Poistogova, who won the Olympic 800m bronze in London, and fellow Briton, Lynsey Sharp, the European Athletics Championship silver medallist.

"First and foremost I am just really glad to be on the start line with my spikes on, injury free and raring to go," said Meadows. "I am a competitor and want to perform well so I want to finish as high up in the competition as I can. I can't wait to hear my name announced and hopefully the crowd will give me a good reception.

"It's been a lot of effort to get back on to the track in competitive shape and overcome the injuries so it means the world to me…and 16th February 2013 is probably a date I will remember for the rest of my life."

The sell-out crowd should be treated to a fabulous high jump competition.

Russian Ivan Ukhov won Olympic gold last summer with 2.38m as Britain's European champion Robbie Grabarz shared bronze with 2.29m.

But Ukhov knows how hard it will be.

He said: "Grabarz is one of the best high jumpers in the world. I am confident this Saturday and everywhere I go, but I also respect everyone.

"There are some great competitors out there, we have high results wherever we go, and it will be the same this weekend."

Grabarz secured his place for Göteborg with victory at the British trials last weekend in Sheffield with a season's best of 2.31m.

But he said: "It will take a height higher than that to win in Birmingham. Everyone's jumping really well at the moment and a first time clearance around the mid-30s will probably win it."

Ukhov has a best of 2.30m while his Russian teammate Aleksey Dmitrik, who is not in Birmingham but will be at the European Athletics Indoor Championships, tops the European rankings with 2.36m.

"Birmingham was the reason why I attempted a big height (2.39m) at the European trials as it would have been nice to get a world lead and put Ukhov and Dmitrik on the back foot," added Grabarz.

"It didn't happen, but I was close – I just need to control my excitement and I will come out flying."

As the international competition hots up in Birmingham, around Europe, between today and Sunday, numerous countries are staging their trials for Göteborg.

Wherever you look, there is action, with national trials in Spain, Portugal, Poland, Netherlands, Latvia Italy, Czech Republic, France, Switzerland, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Greece, Sweden, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Serbia, Croatia, Belgium and Slovenia.

 

European Athletics (EAA) – News