British long jumper Shara Proctor in action in Glasgow (© Getty Images)
Tiffany Porter, Holly Bleasdale, Jenny Meadows and Shara Proctor have all confirmed that they will compete at the Sainsbury’s Glasgow International Match on 25 January.
They will join the previously-announced Olympic champion Greg Rutherford and Olympic bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz at the Emirates Arena along with European indoor 60m silver medallist James Dasaolu and 2003 world 100m champion Kim Collins.
The Glasgow International Match is the first leg of the 2014 British Athletics series, which culminates with the Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix, an IAAF Indoor Permit meeting.
After winning 100m hurdles bronze at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Porter will head to the Emirates Arena full of confidence as she looks to better her British indoor record of 7.80.
“Moscow was definitely the highlight of 2013 for me,” said Proctor, the world indoor and European indoor silver medallist. “Given the competition in the event at the moment, I was over the moon to come away with a bronze medal and a personal best.
Not content with her two medals last year, the 26-year-old has set her sights on winning medals at three major championships in 2014.
“This year there are three podiums that I would like to visit – World Indoors, European Championships and, of course, the Commonwealth Games,” she added.
Bleasdale, who leapt to pole vault gold at the European Indoor Championships in March, missed the majority of the 2013 outdoor season through injury, but returned to action last month with a 4.61m clearance in Villeurbaune, France.
After a six-month period on the side-lines, the 22-year-old is looking forward to getting her 2014 season underway in Glasgow.
“It was great to get back to competing following a long spell away from the runway,” she said. “It was a strong start and I feel I’m in good shape.”
The 2014 season promises to be another big year for the Cardiff-based athlete. Despite Olympic champion Jenn Suhr clearing a world indoor record of 5.02m in March last year and four Europeans going beyond her outdoor personal best in 2013, Bleasdale is confident of putting herself in medal contention this season.
“Pole vault is one of the strongest events on the circuit at the moment and I know that I will have to be jumping over 4.70m to put myself in contention for a medal at the World Indoors, European Championships or Commonwealth Games,” said Bleasdale, whose personal best is 4.87m set indoors in 2012.
“I know that I am capable of competing with the best and I feel there are no limits to how high I can go, it’s just about getting that performance right on the day.”
Meadows is another athlete on the comeback trail after injuries have restricted her to just a handful of appearances over the past two years.
“2013 was another tough year for me, but the injuries have made me more determined to come back and show that I’m still a force to be reckoned with on the world stage,” said the 2011 European indoor champion.
“Glasgow will give me a gauge of where I am in relation to my competition and I’m determined to go out there and put in a solid performance.”
British teammate Proctor, the British record-holder in the long jump, is targeting more medal success next year.
“I competed at this meet in 2012, but I’m really looking forward to getting familiar with the surroundings and the atmosphere ahead of the Commonwealth Games,” said the world indoor bronze medallist, who won the Diamond Race last summer.
“My goal this year is to get among the medals, and I feel that if I can jump to my potential, I have the capability of beating anyone. I’m edging closer and closer to the seven-metre mark and I believe that with a tweak here and there, I can make that small jump.”
Other Britons set to compete in Glasgow include world 4x400m relay bronze medallist Eilidh Child, European under-23 1500m bronze medallist Laura Muir and world 1500m finalist Chris O’Hare.
Organisers for the IAAF
