Lorraine looks for seventh heaven

LORRAINE UGEN is ready to finally win a major outdoor medal tonight but knows she will have to produce a long jump lifetime best.

The Londoner has a world indoor bronze from Portland last year and a European indoor silver from Belgrade last March, when she jumped 6.97metres, the furthest she has gone indoors or out.

But after missing out at the Olympic Games in Rio – she finished 11th following a hamstring injury – Ugen, right, is confident she can end her search for an outdoor gong even if it means breaking the seven metres barrier.

“I’m going out there trying to get a medal,” said Ugen, 25, the only Briton to make it through a rainlashed qualifying on Wednesday with a jump of 6.65m.

“I’m definitely going out there with those kind of aspirations and I’ll just see what happens on the day.

“I want to battle for the medals, but I now need to hone in. I’m going to have to go there and give it one of the best jumps ever. There’s no way I get on the podium if I don’t jump seven metres. If that’s my ambition, it has to be that.” Hammer thrower Nick Miller is also looking to make an impression in his final tonight and he cannot wait to hear a particular noise of encouragement from among the 60,000. “It’s a great crowd but I can still hear my dad, Lenny, whistle. It’s great to know my family is here supporting me,” said Miller, who failed to make the Olympic final in Rio.

The Carlisle-born powerhouse reached the final here with his first effort of 75.52m, saying: “That was the plan. I am in good shape, I just wanted to do myself proud.

“Last year I had a stress fracture in my spine and I went in to Rio knowing it was a long shot, but now I’m healthy and things are looking good.”