Jemma Simpson’s belated start to 2012 may have given her British 800m rivals the edge in the race to win a place at the Olympic Games but she insists she will be ready.
The 28-year-old, hampered by a seven-week injury lay-off, ran a season’s best 2:00.97 minutes in New York on June 9 and in doing so claimed she’s just getting going in her bid for one of three Olympic spots.
With selection for the 800m set to go down to the wire Simpson knows this weekend’s Olympic trials in Birmingham hold the key – but with a pedigree of performing on the national stage she is more than confident.
The three-time British champion still needs to hit the London 2012 A standard of 1:59.90 but will line up against the likes of Marilyn Okoro and Emma Jackson, who have it, as well as Jenny Meadows knowing her Olympic dreams are still a reality.
“This is the one point in my life that I have been aiming towards,” said Simpson – who failed to make it out of the heats of the 800m on her Olympic debut in Beijing in 2008.
“The Beijing Olympics were incredible, it was my first time and I was young and I wasn’t developed so it was a case of running to the absolute best of my ability just to compete with the field.
“But since then I have gained so much strength, I am a lot stronger now to be able to cope and be competitive and get up there and really go for it.
via Simpson ready to secure Games spot – Yahoo! Eurosport UK.
