Discus and shot-put star to end season on a high

LEICESTER star Eden Francis has vowed to banish her mid-season demons and finish 2008 on a high after a below-par showing at the Crystal Palace Grand Prix.

The 19-year-old suffered heartache two weeks ago, missing out on the Olympics at the UK trials despite claiming bronze in the discus and silver in the shot put.

And Francis endured similar fortunes in London as Emma Carpenter piped her to the discus crown with a throw of 55.16m.

The Leicester star could only manage a best of 51.31m - nearly four metres shy of her personal best and Francis admitted it is back to the drawing board and fast.

"I didn't enjoy it at all - I was really looking forward to it and then I just let the fact that it is an international competition get on top of me," she said.

"I had three rubbish throws and my season has really gone downhill recently. I have been throwing dreadfully.

"I tried to change my technique but it was just a bit too late in the season to try something so big. I was just trying to go back to basics but it didn't seem to work and I have to work on that.

"I have got a few small meetings left and I have to end my season on a high - I can't end throwing less than I did at the start of the season that wouldn't be good at all."

Elsewhere 19-year-old Loughborough star Emily Pidgeon came within a whisker of the under-20 3,000m crown only to be piped on the line by British rival Lauren Howarth.

Pidgeon - who finished eighth in the World Junior Championship 5,000m final in Poland over two weeks ago - clocked 9:27.49 minutes - five hundredths-of-a-second shy of Howarth.

And fellow Loughborough ace Laura Finucane put her injury woes behind her to finish seventh in the ‘On Camp with Kelly' 800m race and recording a season's best time.

The 21-year-old - who underwent knee surgery at the start of the year - clocked 2:05.97m just a second behind eventual winner Hannah England.

RYAN BANGS