Frisby track star Mari Smith earns first senior GB vest for Euros

Mari celebrates confirming her place in the British team for the European Indoor Athletics Championships EMN-190220-132728002

Having won 800m silver at the British Indoor Championships six days earlier, the Frisby track star returned to Birmingham to try and secure a qualifying time for the championships at the Muller Indoor Grand Prix.

In a high-class international field, Smith scorched to a new personal best of 2min 02.34secs.

The time was more than three seconds faster than her medal-winning run and good enough for automatic qualification for the European Championships, in Glasgow.

Smith on the podium after winning silver at the British Indoor Championships a week earlier EMN-190220-132738002

She told the Melton Times: “It will be my first senior GB vest so I’m very excited.

“I’m also really pleased with how I performed as it was one of the highest-level competitions I’ve ever competed in, with good BBC coverage.

“But I did feel like I belonged in that company.

“It was great to get the chance to compete in my university city with my team-mates in the audience.”

The Birchfield Harrier, who is in the final year of a masters degree, will be on call early in Glasgow, with the women’s 800m heats the third event on the track, from 11.10am on Friday, March 1.