Dennison targets at least a final spot in Doha

From David Jordan, Sportsbeat, in Doha

 KATE Dennison insists her fears over funding are now a thing of the past ahead of her World Indoor Athletics Championships debut this weekend.

PEACE OF MIND: Kate Dennison heads to Doha with the financial pressure off and she is hoping it will reap the benefits in the Middle East (Getty Images)

The 25-year-old revealed for the first time prior to travelling to Doha that she spent the majority of last year dreading that below-par performances would see her suffer financially.

On the surface her worries appeared to be unjust as Dennison broke the British indoor and outdoor records for fun and ended 2009 ranked ninth in the world.

The Staffordshire ace has picked up where she left off this year booking her place on the plane to the Middle East by claiming her fifth straight British indoor title last month.

Dennison equaled her personal best of 4.60m at the Aviva Grand Prix a week later and admitted she is now reaping the rewards of fearing the worst and resisting change.

"Last year I did think I was on the verge of being kicked off the funding programme," said Dennison - who had surgery on both her Achilles at the end of 2008.

"Funding is like air for athletes, if we don't have the money to compete then everything else becomes much, much harder.

"I had to prove to the authorities and prove to myself that I was capable of being a world class athlete and I didn't think I could do that if I had changed my set up.

"It was a calculated decision because I was scared off having my funding cut off and I don't know what I would have done if that had happened.

"I couldn't afford to take the risk of going to the bigger poles and struggling for a year and I think I had such a consistent year last year because I stuck with what I knew."

Dennison has since made the step up from the shorter poles she used in 2009 to the longer ones used by reigning world indoor champion Yelena Isinbayeva this year.

Under her old regime the British number one finished sixth at last summer's World Championships in Berlin and with the changes rung, she admits making the final is the least she expects in Doha.

"Yelena will be there so that probably tells you it is a serious competition so my main aim is to make sure I get into the final," she added.

"I made the final at the World Championships last year and that has to be the benchmark for me now. Everything I do has to equal or surpass that from now on.

"There are only going to be eight places in the final in Doha and the qualifying height is likely to be around 4.60m - my personal best - so it is going to be tough."

Aviva has been proud to have helped and supported the Aviva GB & NI junior, senior and disability teams as they prepare for all major events and championships since 1999. Visit www.aviva.co.uk/athletics for more information