Sophie’s choice is right despite her Euro Hitch (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Sophie’s choice is right despite her Euro Hitch

8:05am Monday 2nd July 2012 in Sophie Hitchon

SOPHIE Hitchon insists she has learnt some valuable lessons that will set her up perfectly for the Olympics next month after a below par performance in yesterday’s European Championship hammer final.

The Burnley athlete, who is a member of Blackburn Harriers, ended up 11th in the final with a best throw of 67.17metres – only 75cm short of a place in the top eight that would have earned her an extra three throws.

But it was not to be for Hitchon, who came to the Europeans as one of a select few British athletes that had already secured a spot on Team GB for London 2012.

And while she could not hide her disappointment in her performance, she took some consolation from the knowledge that she now knows she belongs at this level.

“I am bit annoyed because I felt there was quite a bit still left in me,” said the 20-year-old former Ivy Bank pupil.

“It was just centimetres between the top eight, there was virtually nothing between me in 11th and the girl in eighth but it means I'm out.

“I will be better next time, it’s the way it goes and I was just pleased to make the final. But having got here I’m a bit disappointed with the result.

“We came in only wanting to make the final and we did that so we achieved our goals and will take that into London.

“This has been a really good experience, I know now that I can do it, that I do deserve to be in with all these girls and I am just as good as them and I will be in London as well.”

Hitchon’s debut at an outdoor international competition came in Daegu last summer where she failed to make it past the qualification round. And having bettered that performance she is confident that with another month of hard training she will peaking at just the right time when the Games come around. “Between now and the Games it’s a case of training as hard as I can, I know that it is there and it will be there for the Olympics,” she added.

“I haven’t got many competitions left now so it really is a case of making sure I come into the Games feeling good.”

* Brought to you by SPAR, Official Sponsors of UK Athletics. For more information visit www.spar.co.uk

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