OLYMPIC hopeful Holly Bleasdale might have expected next week’s European Under 23 Championships to be her main focus this year, but instead she says her thoughts are starting to turn to a possible medal on the big stage in August after smashing the British pole vault record on Saturday.

Bleasdale and hammer thrower Sophie Hitchon are both set to represent Blackburn Harriers at the European Under 23 Championships in the Czech city of Ostrava after being named in the Great Britain squad for the event, which starts next Thursday.

But Bleasdale admits the championships are now beginning to become more of a warm-up for the senior World Championships in South Korea next month.

The 19-year-old obliterated Kate Dennison’s British senior record of 4.60m at a meeting in Germany at the weekend, jumping 4.70m to set a new world record for a teenager.

It marks the continuation of an incredible rise for the Euxton athlete, who only took up the pole vault three years ago.

“In my first year my personal best went from 2.80 to 4.05, then the second year it went from 4.05m to 4.35m and now this year to 4.70m,” said Bleasdale.

“It’s a really technical event and most of the people who are are jumping 4.70m or 4.80m have been doing it 10 years and are a lot older.

“But I’ve worked a lot in training and I’ve started doing weights this year, which I think has been a reason why I’ve improved.

“I’ve got the European Under 23s now, which are important. The second in the rankings has jumped 4.30m, so I will be favourite.

“But obviously the main one is the World Championships. I don’t want to peak too soon.”

Bleasdale is now ranked joint fourth in the world this year, suggesting her medal chances in South Korea are realistic, although she knows that next year’s London Olympics will represent her best opportunity to star.

“The qualifying mark is 4.50m so I’d say it looks 99.9 per cent sure I’ll be going to the World Championships unless I get injured,” she said.

“I was always thinking I wanted to go there to get experience for 2012, but if I jump 4.70m that would get me into the final and 4.70m or 4.75m might get a medal.

“Because of my age there will be no pressure on me, though. I just want to make the final.

“I want to keep progressing in the next year now because I want to do well at the Olympics.”