Dobbin keeps on raising the bar as records tumble on her way to victory
● Sprinter wins her maiden British title ● Muir storms to victory in the 800m
Beth Dobbin spends her days signing the great and the good ofbritishathleticsinandoutof the sport’s high performance centre in Loughborough, the day job doing much to finance her dreams of joining those who pass through her reception and on to the training track.
Sprinting has, by necessity, been a part-time sideline. The moment where she can immerse herself fully and let others pick up the phone is surely approaching soon. Twice in the past month, the 23-year-old has lowered the Scottish record over 200 metres. Inside three hours yesterday at the British Championships in Birmingham, it was broken once then obliterated again. Dobbin claimed a maiden UK title and a fast track to next month’s Europeans in Berlin. She is a woman in a hurry and others are toiling to keep up.
Despite the indulgent decision of the omnipotent Dina Asher-smith to settle merely for the 100m crown here, Dobbin’s mark was worthy of the imitation gold as 22.75 seconds nibbled at her previous best, set on her Diamond League debut in Stockholm. A championship best of 22.59 in the final was the third-quickest time in Europe this year.
“I’m just looking at how far I have come,” she acknowledged. “Last year my aim was to make the final and the last few years I have just been happy to make the final. This year I knew if I ran a good race I could come away a British champion. It’s a dream come true.”
More rewards will come, with an invite pending to this month’s inaugural Athletics World Cup in London. Now, the Doncaster-born Scot acknowledged she must learn to no longer doubt her deserved place among the elite. “Secretly, I just wanted to win and get to Europeans because that gives you a chance to get to the World Cup.”
She will be among what is already a hefty Scottish contingent at the Europeans with the two-day meeting doubling as the trials. Steph Twell bolted to the 5,000m title to assure herself of inclusion with Eilish Mccolgan likely to be added despite missing automatic selection in third.
Chris Bennett is also Germany-bound following his silver in the hammer. Less expected was David Smith equalling his personal best of 2.26m to come second in the high jump and snare a first British international vest, with Allan Smith in third also a probable addition. And, less than a year after taking up the event, Kirsten Mcaslan took full advantage of the absence of the injured Eilidh Doyle to duck under the qualifying standard of the 400m hurdles by a mere twohundredths of a second as runner-up to Meghan Beesley.
Laura Muir will be in Berlin. The question still to be answered is to do what. If the controversy over her late appearance on the entry list of the 800 metres pointed to a technical error on the part of the organisers, the margin of her victory left few doubting she could challenge for the European title at the distance.
The previously-stated plan has always been that she would only enter a single event in the Euros. The expectation was it would be over 1500m and she confirmed there has been an official request for a double entry. Whether it comes to pass will be keenly watched. “I’m European lead in both 800m and 1500m so I don’t know if it’s a huge surprise for me to do the 800m,” she said.
Chris O’hare and Jake Wightman will definitely be picked for the men’s 1500m for the Europeans but Neil Gourley, who trailed them home in a Scottish 1-2-3, must now chase the qualifying standard.