Hurdler Greene itching to prove himself on world stage

By Gerard Meagher, Sportsbeat, in Birmingham

DAVID Greene admits he's struggling for motivation having cruised through his 400m hurdles heat at the European Trials and UK Championships - but it will be a completely different story in Barcelona.

ITCHY FEET: David Greene admits he is struggling for motivation at the moment - and the European Championships can't come quick enough (Getty Images)

Greene eased home in 50.93 seconds in his heat in Birmingham and while fellow Welshman Rhys Williams was the fastest in qualifying, coming home in 50.37, Greene will have plenty more in the tank for Sunday's final.

Last weekend, Greene got Great Britain off to a perfect start at European Team Championships in Bergen, taking victory in the first race of the competition.

And having clocked 48.96 at the European Athletics Festival in Poland earlier this month, he has already easily achieved the qualification standard for the European Championships in Barcelona.

A year ago, Greene's breakthrough performance came at the World Championships where he reached the final, coming home seventh as gold went to the USA's Kerron Clement.

Greene has already had the chance to rub shoulders with the world's finest at the Oslo leg of the Samsung Diamond League, where he came home third behind Clement and Bershawn Jackson,

And while the European Championships remain the key goal for Greene this season, he is itching to prove himself on the world stage once more.

"My heat was a good competitive race, I didn't expend too much energy which was important. A lot of those guys are running near to their personal bests so it was a good run out," he said.

"I was easing off towards the end - I should hope so too judging by the time - but for the final I'll be a lot more up for it. I'll have a more thorough warm-up and I'll look to go a lot quicker.

"It's good to have some heats to work your way through and it gives some of the other guys a chance.

"I'm not really driven that much in the races I'm doing at the moment. I've already got the qualifying times so I'm just training hard and focusing on the Europeans.

"I've had the chance to run against some of the top guys already and I'll have maybe one more before the Europeans. However, as long as I train hard and well, there's no reason why I can't be competing with those guys in the big races."