Hastings ace excels for Britain in Prague

Elise Lovell produced a personal best performance to help a Great Britain team come second in an international fixture last weekend.
Elise Lovell gets ready for action at the Combined Events International Indoor Match in PragueElise Lovell gets ready for action at the Combined Events International Indoor Match in Prague
Elise Lovell gets ready for action at the Combined Events International Indoor Match in Prague

The Hastings Athletic Club talent was on superb form as the GB senior women’s team finished runners-up in the Combined Events International Indoor Match against the Czech Republic, France, Poland and Spain in Prague.

Lovell recorded personal bests in four events and her overall score of 3892 points was 114 up on her total when she achieved a superb second place at the England Athletics Senior and Under 20 Indoor Combined Events Championships earlier in January.

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She said: “It was really good. Going into the competition ranked 20th and ending up 11th is a bit of a shock, but all the hard work paid off.

“It’s an honour to represent my country, and I managed to handle the nerves and expectations really well to put together a good set of performances.”

Lovell made a fast start in the Czech capital, clocking a 60m hurdles PB of 8:58 in winning her heat by a long way.

She wasn’t really expecting much in the high jump - the event she gets the most nervous about - but aided by the bouncy and fast track, managed another PB with a leap of 1.65m.

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Lovell threw 9.61m in the shot - a discipline which she admits requires a lot of work before the summer outdoor season - and leaped 5.83m in the long jump, although she did have a no jump that was well over six metres.

She finished the event strongly as well with an 800m PB of 2:22. Although usually nervous about the 800m, Lovell led the race the whole way and felt confident in doing so.

Lovell exceeded expectations by being the third and final points scorer in the British women’s team behind Jessica Taylor-Jemmett (4155 points) and Katie Stainton (4147 points).

It was Lovell’s second overseas international appearance and her first indoors as her previous outing came outdoors at the European Cup Combined Events Super League in France during July 2015.

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She is now turning her attentions to the British Athletics Indoor Team Trials in Sheffield next weekend - when she will contest the 60m hurdles and long jump - and the British Universities Indoor Championships the following weekend.

Lovell, is studying for a PGCE at Brighton University, is an unfunded athlete and doesn’t receive any sponsorship. She is therefore seeking support with her endeavours and any interested parties can contact her on Twitter at @eliselovell28

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