Nigel Levine is keeping his European Indoor Championship aims close to his chest after warming up for a trip to Sweden with a fine victory at the British Athletics Grand Prix in Birmingham.
The 23-year-old ducked under the European indoor qualifying standard for the 400m, 46.90seconds, in his first outing of 2013 – posting 46.74 at the Glasgow International Match last month.
Levine then guaranteed himself a trip to Gothenburg by defending the UK Championship title he has won for the past two years running in Sheffield, the event also acting as the trials.
He competed at Birmingham’s NIA less than a week later and ran the perfect race to clock a season’s best of 46.34, the fifth quickest 400m time by a European this year.
Levine set out to achieve what he wanted to in the West Midlands but won’t elaborate upon his European indoor aims anymore than a desire to reach the final.
“I was quite please with it, I came to Birmingham to win and I have to thank Linford Christie and all my training group and family and friends,” said Levine.
“I guess my tactics were spot on. I was trying to hold my nerve and keep myself calm and I was happy to win that is what I wanted to do.
“I have got the European indoors coming up and I want to make the final. My aim is to make the final and I will set the next target once I get there.”
© Sportsbeat 2013