Clitheroe on target for Commonwealths success in Delhi

By Ben Baker, Sportsbeat

HELEN Clitheroe has endured a season to forget so far - but far from hanging up her spikes the double Olympian is targeting an Indian summer to give her something to shout about.

RETURNING TO FORM: Helen Clitheroe was in excellent form at the 2010 Super8 and believes she will be in contention for Commonwealth success later this year

The 36-year-old clinched a hard-earned victory in the 1500m at the 2010 Super8 on Wednesday - playing a captain's innings for Manchester and clinching maximum points for her city in Glasgow.

It represents long overdue success for Clitheroe, who has endured a stop-start season and has failed to string any form together - a fact highlighted by her no show at the UK Championships earlier this month.

Clitheroe, who considers the 3000m steeplechase as another string to her bow, will therefore not be making the trip to Barcelona later this month for the European Championships.

But if she can build on her performance at the new-look Scotstoun Stadium, the Preston Harrier is convinced she can do her country proud at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi this October.

"The time was reasonable out there given the conditions so I am pretty pleased with how I have done," she said.

"It was a really good race with a strong field with some really good up and coming stars in there who have been running really well over 1500m this season.

"This season hasn't been the best for me so far because of the setbacks I had early in the season. I am really relieved because I was feeling the pressure to be honest.

"I think I am just going to lock myself away and do some training for a bit so that I can come back and try and do a qualifying standard for the Commonwealth Games.

"That is the goal now and I am going to work really hard to make sure I make myself available for Delhi and compete back at the highest level and be happy with how I do."

Clitheroe is not one to duck away from pressure and she opted to either live by the sword or die by it in Glasgow - choosing to play the ‘Ace Card' on her own race in a bid to earn Manchester double points.

It was a risk that clearly paid off as she romped home in 4:14.44 minutes - and Clitheroe believes it was just the kick up the backside she needed.

"I enjoyed the Super 8 and it is a good event I think with the team aspect," she added.

"But as an athlete you always put pressure on yourself and this was important to me today because I needed to pick myself up after a bad few weeks of running."

Super8 is based on a City v City format, the event was piloted in Cardiff in 2009 and made a long-anticipated return in Glasgow on Wednesday July 7 for more information visit www.uka.org.uk/super8