McKie vows to make point at British Champs

Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC high jumper Alan McKie admits his European under-23 Championship dream may be over - but vowed to prove a point at the British Championships in Birmingham on July 10.

The 20-year-old needed to clear the European qualification mark of 2.22m at the England under-23 Championships at the weekend but could only muster a best of 2.10m on his way to silver in Bedford.

McKie star has struggled with a back injury in the past few weeks and it showed as British rival Robbie Grabarz topped the podium with a jump of 2.14 - seven centimetres below McKie’s personal best.

McKie could yet feature in Lithuania this summer if he is given special consideration, but insists he won’t let it dominate his thoughts as he continues his progression from talented junior to competitive senior.

“It went okay. I’ve had a couple of bad weeks with a slight back injury but this was the first time I’ve felt like a high jumper in the last two or three weeks so it wasn’t too bad,” said McKie, who has benefited this season from his selection for the UK Athletics Heroes Project.

“Overall I’m pleased and hope I can carry that on to the British Championships and World Trials and put in a decent jump there. I’m nowhere near under-23 qualification unfortunately but that’s just how the dice rolls.

“If it happens then it happens and I’ll welcome it, but if it doesn’t then it’s not the end of the world - fingers crossed I can do something decent before the end of the season.

 “As I say I’ve got senior AAA’s coming up, which are world trials, so it’d be nice to go there and get a PB to make a statement.”

And McKie, the British No.8, revealed his display in Bedford has given him renewed confidence for the remainder of the season as he bids to return to the form that saw him regularly clear 2.15m and above in 2008.

“Bedford was the start of a comeback,” he added.  “My winter went really well. I was under a new programme with my coach that helped me build a lot of strength and all the medical tests I done were very positive.

“But I got injured at the start of the indoors which stopped me from jumping and so the outdoors is hopefully where I’ll do it.

“For the rest of the summer I’d like to get more consistent at 2.15m and hopefully pop a PB somewhere. I’d like to get the European qualifications standard of 2.22m and even if I don’t get selected it’d be nice to say I got it.”

UKA Heroes project sponsored by Original Source is a successful initiative which offers financial support to talented young athletes who are working towards the 2012 and 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.