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After Diamond League Development invite Bobby Clay of Invicta East Kent says she is in personal best form over 1,500m

After being invited to run in the Diamond League, Bobby Clay says she is in personal best form and is putting no limits on how far her star might rise this summer.

The 19-year-old Invicta East Kent AC from Wingham ran her second fastest ever time over 1,500m in her first track race of the season at the Loughborough International Games last month.

The former Sir Roger Manwood’s School, Sandwich, student finished second in 4.15.78, three seconds behind GB’s Sarah McDonald who will again be among her opponents in 14-strong field for a Diamond League Development 1,500m race at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium on Sunday (1.30pm).

Bobby Clay Picture: Mark Shearman/British Athletics
Bobby Clay Picture: Mark Shearman/British Athletics

Clay said: “I was invited last week and who wouldn’t want to do it?

“I am definitely in PB (4.12.20) shape. It will be nice to be in a more senior field, hopefully I am able to run my own race, stick near the back and see the race in front of me, rather than it coming from behind me.

“I am buzzing. The only pressure is that I was invited so I want to show that I deserve the opportunity.”

Clay’s time in Loughborough was well inside the qualifying standard for the World Junior Championships in Poland in July – her second qualifying time after she stormed to victory in the 3,000m at the British Milers’ Club Grand Prix at Manchester’s SportCity the previous week.

She said: “Training has been going well. I am getting used to Loughborough and my group and a month in Kenya earlier this year definitely helped and is something I’d like to do every year.

“I have qualifying times for both but I will only be doing the 1,500m at the World trials. Nobody else has the 3,000m time at the moment, though, so we’ll have to wait and see.

“If there is a possibility of doubling up without impacting on the 1,500m, then I’d like to do it.”

She added: “My focus is all about the World Juniors as it’s my last year as a Junior and I want to give it a good go but I am not going to put any limits on myself.

“If for some crazy reason I start running really fast then, of course, I’d love to think about the Europeans and Rio Olympics but I’ll just have to keep training hard and see where it gets me.”

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