World bronze medallist Jenny Meadows insists she is unlikely to ever forget this weekend’s British Athletics Grand Prix in Birmingham as it marks her first competitive race in almost exactly 17 months.
Meadows last ran competitively at the Great North City Games on September 17 2011 before an Achilles injury wreaked havoc and forced her to miss out on selection for the London 2012 Olympics.
The 31-year-old had planned a return at the European Championships in Helsinki in June last summer in a last-ditch bid to prove her case for an Olympic place in the 800m however her injury prevented that.
Her ankle swelled on the flight to Finland and she withdrew from the heats and, with Lynsey Sharp going on to win silver, she was later the only Brit selected for the 800m at the London 2012 Olympics.
Meadows is now back and will race against Sharp and Olympic bronze medallist Ekaterina Poistogova at the British Athletics Grand Prix in Birmingham and she’s adamant it will live long in the memory.
“First and foremost I’m just really glad to be on the start line with my spikes on, injury free and raring to go,” said Meadows, who won world 800m bronze in Berlin in 2009.
“I am a competitor and want to perform well so I want to finish as high up in the competition as I can. The British Athletics Grand Prix is my favourite competition of the year, I really enjoy the event and I like indoor racing.
“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.
“February 16 2013 is probably a date I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
© Sportsbeat 2013