KIDLINGTON heptathlete Jade O’Dowda is aiming for improvements if she is to make the World Athletics Championships in Budapest next month.
The 23-year-old finished seventh in the 100m hurdles, in a season’s best of 13.47 seconds, and second in the long jump (6.64m) at the UK Athletics Championships in Manchester.
She said: “It is nice to compete against people who are specialist hurdlers.
“I came this weekend just to race. We don’t do many heptathlons per year so it is good fitting races in between them to improve on some stuff and honestly just get out there and race.
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“To be selected for the World Championships, I need to improve my world ranking.
“I have a heptathlon competition in two weeks and will give it one more shot to see if I can do it. If not, the target will be next year and the Paris Olympics.”
Meanwhile, Tiffany Cox (Abingdon) ran a personal best of 11.79 in the 100m to come fourth in her heat, before finishing eighth in the semi-finals.
She said: “My goal was to make the semi-finals and I am more than happy with that. I came here in 2019 and did not make the semis.
“Coming back from injury, my goal was to make the British Championships. I have already set personal bests in the 100m and 200m this year, and I want to keep that going.”
Ben Claridge (Abingdon), who was seventh in his heat of the 800m in 1:51.02, said: “It was poor really. I was in the race and thought I could kick on but nothing. Just one of those days.”
Jacob Leigh (Oxford City) was fourth in his heat of the 100m, in 10.67, while Ben Ince (Oxford City) equalled his personal best of 14.78 for fifth in his heat of the 110m hurdles. Kathryn Woodstock (Oxford City) was 12th in the discus throw with 44.72.
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