THE European Indoor Championships are just than one month away and the Aviva Indoor UK Trials and Championships in Sheffield will provide a good indicator to the potential medal candidates in Paris.
Men's track
DWAIN CHAMBERS told AW he was in the shape of his life after a warm-weather training stint in South Africa but the world indoor champion looked a far cry from optimum shape at the Birmingham Indoor Games. Chambers was beaten in the semi-finals and after suffering his first indoor defeat since the 2008 World Indoor Championships and his first loss at domestic level since the 2009 UK Championships, he withdrew from the final.
Chambers, who won the Birmingham Indoor Games last year in 6.58 and in 2009 in 6.54, only clocked 6.72 at the NIA and while this probably isn't representative of his true form, it also indicates his rivals have a rare chance for a win over the Belgrave Harrier, who is aiming for his fourth successive 60m title.
Given the close spread of performances in the run-up, it would be difficult to predict who will make the team for Paris although Birchfield Harrier Joel Fearon continued his rapid emergence at the Birmingham Indoor Games, claiming victory in the final in a UK-leading 6.63 although Mark Lewis-Francis and Craig Pickering are close behind with season's bests of 6.66.
The 200m doesn't boast the same depth although it should give the opportunity for some of the country's up-and-coming youngster to put down a marker in the build-up to the European Junior Championships and European Under-23 Championships. Danny Talbot, 19, Eugene Ayanful, 20, and Liam Clowes, 18, are among the leading entrants.
European and Commonwealth champion Andy Turner's 7.63 season's best sets him apart from the opposition in the 60m hurdles although the race for the minor positions should be closely contested between Lawrence Clarke, Gianni Frankis, Jack Meredith and Chris Baillie.
Three-time 400m champion Richard Buck topped the UK rankings with a season's best of 47.00 in Moscow but watch out for the 19-year-old Malcolm Arnold-coached Jack Green, who lowered his PB to 47.04 at the weekend.
Defending champion Andrew Osagie faces Joe Thomas and Mukhtar Mohammed in the 800m while James Thie and Andy Baddeley are the favourites in the 1500m and 3000m respectively.
Women's track
IF recent results are to go by, the 60m final should produce a final of the highest calibre as three athletes have already dipped under the 7.30-barrier this year, which is a first in domestic indoor competition. Leading the entry-list is Bernice Wilson, who equalled her PB of 7.26 in Birmingham, defeating Laura Turner (7.33) and Ashleigh Nelson (7.34) last weekend.
However, the greatest challenge to the Birchfield Harrier will come from Olympic finalist and 2008 world indoor silver medallist Jeanette Kwakye, who returned to form after a succession of injuries with a promising 7.28 season's best last month, and double world youth champion Jodie Williams, who has also clocked 7.28 this year, and will be making her debut at a senior domestic championship.
Joice Maduaka, who won the title last year with 7.29, is likely to need an improvement on her season's best of 7.43 if she wants to make the team and Katherine Endacott hasn't showed the form which took her to a Commonwealth silver medal yet.
Maduaka, Endacott and Wilson are also expected to contest the 200m as well.
Birchfield Harrier Kelly Sotherton will be re-emerging as a 400m specialist this year and despite her inexperience at her newfound event, as well as a lengthy spell on the sidelines, the former Olympic heptathlon bronze medallist should mark her return to the fray with a domestic indoor title. Renowned for her multi-event prowess, Sotherton has already showed promise at the 400m with a 52.47 indoor performance in 2008 as well as a 50.35 relay leg at the Olympic Games.
Jenny Meadows produced her fastest ever season's debut at the Aviva International in Glasgow with 2:01.17 showing the world and European bronze medallist has wintered well as she attempts to claim her seventh UK indoor 800m title. Marilyn Okoro made a promising return in Glasgow but the world finalist probably isn't in the form to challenge Meadows yet.
Helen Clitheroe looked in fine shape over 3000m at the Aviva International and the veteran will test her speed in the 1500m where she takes on former UK champion Charlene Thomas, who comes fresh from a good 3000m showing in Stuttgart.
Gemma Turtle and Laura Whittle (nee Kenney) are the leading entrants in the 3000m.
Men's field
STEVE LEWIS starts as the narrow favourite in the pole-vault although in an event which looks on the up in domestic terms, the former Commonwealth bronze medallist will face close competition from former UK indoor champion Luke Cutts and world junior bronze medallist Andrew Sutcliffe.
In the high jump, Tom Parsons has established himself as the leading contender for the title with a 2.28m season's best and his task has been made easier as Martyn Bernard and Samson Oni aren't expected to compete.
J.J. Jegede posted a PB of 7.79m and should be able to take advantage of the absence of Greg Rutherford and Chris Tomlinson for his first senior long jump title.
Likewise, world youth champion Ben Williams is the leading entrant in the triple jump with Phillips Idowu and Nathan Douglas both absent.
In the shot put, Curtis Griffith-Parker and Scott Rider are the leading contenders.
Women's field
WORLD junior bronze medallist Holly Bleasdale seems to be having no difficulties in adjusting to the senior ranks as the 19-year-old has already improved from 4.35m to 4.50m, which also translates to the 'A' standard for the World Championships in Daegu. Bleasdale, who finished second to Kate Dennison at last year's UK Championships, should have the beating of her this time but the UK pole-vault record-holder isn't putting much emphasis on this year's indoor season.
World junior triple jump silver medallist Laura Samuel goes head-to-head with UK-leader Angela Barrett.
Jessica Ennis' weekend
WORLD and European heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis will be contesting four events in front of her home-crowd as she continues her build-up to the European Indoor Championships where she is aiming for the gold medal and the world indoor record.
Ennis starts her weekend in the high jump and the City of Sheffield athlete will be looking to regain the title she won in 2007 with 1.91m and 2008 with 1.92m. While Ennis is yet to contest a high jump competition this year, her form in other events suggests she's capable of matching these heights.
Her second event of the weekend will be the shot put and the world champion has continued her upward ascent in this discipline, having already improved her PB from 14.25m to 14.61m.
Ennis opens her second day in the long jump and the 25-year-old recorded a solid 6.38m to finish third at the Aviva International in Glasgow although this mark is probably worth more as Kelvin Hall isn't renowned for its performances in the horizontal jumps.
The world indoor pentathlon champion concludes her weekend in the 60m hurdles, where a UK record might be in the offing. After defeating Lolo Jones at the Aviva International last year, Ennis scored her second win over the world indoor champion in succession, finishing a mere two-hundredths shy of her UK record of 7.95.
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