LAWRENCE Clarke is unlikely to defend his Oxfordshire 100m title as he focuses on his 110m hurdles bid at the World Championships.

The 23-year-old, from Christmas Common, provided some star quality at last year’s Oxfordshire Track and Field Championships when he set a new record of 10.64secs in winning the 100m.

But Clarke, who finished fourth in the sprint hurdles at the London 2012 Olympics, does not expect to compete at this season’s county event on May 25 and 26.

“At the moment I do not have the 100m in my sights as it doesn’t fit in with the preparations for the World Championships,” he said.

“The IAAF standards have changed, so I need to focus on getting more European hurdles races in before the trials to give myself the best chance for selection.”

Clarke is training with the British squad in Daytona Beach, Florida as he looks ahead to the World Championships in Moscow from August 10 to 18.

“I will be racing out here in a very minor race before I go on to Jamaica for my real season opener,” he said.

Clarke’s minor race is in Miramar, Florida on April 29 before he competes in King-ston, Jamaica (May 4) and Guadeloupe (May 8).

  • HANNAH England will open her season at the BUPA Westminster Mile on Sunday, May 26.

The 26-year-old Oxford City athlete and 2011 world 1,500m silver medallist will compete in the central London road race, which organisers hope will attract 5,000 entrants.

England said: “I may run a low key 800m a few days beforehand to warm up for this and then start running 1,500m on the track the next week.

“I’m off to Font Romeo for a month on April 22 to get ready for the summer.”