Newham & Essex Beagles Asha Philip

I can win European Indoor medal’ claims Beagles’ speed queen Asha

Ziad Chaudry Thursday, February 21, 2013
3:07 PM

Newham & Essex Beagles comeback kid Asha Philip believes she can win a medal at next month’s European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg, writes Ziad Chaudry.

Just a week after claiming her first UK indoor title, the Leytonstone 22-year-old was one of four other sprinters to go under 7.21 seconds in the women’s 60m at the British Athletics Grand Prix in Birmingham, finishing in fifth place.

But she was nowhere in reach of in-form Murielle Ahoure from the Ivory Coast who beat Jamaica’s double Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce into second to register 6.99, the world’s fastest time this year.

Philip, who went third on the domestic all-time list with her 7.15 personal best effort at the UK indoors in Sheffield, is happy with the way her indoor season has been shaping out despite suffering a mixture of illness and tiredness.

“My form has been very good this year,” said the former world 100m youth champion.

“But it has been going up-and-down because for the last few weeks I’ve been ill then I felt a bit tired and all that kind of stuff, but that happens so I have to work to what I’ve got. I just want to work extremely hard and get back to where I want to be.”

Philip is looking forward to going to the Swedish capital to compete in the Europeans with her focus firmly set on a podium finish.

“I’m definitely looking forward to Gothenburg where I’m hoping to perform my best, I’m definitely sure a medal is waiting for me to win,” she added.

There was more success for the Newham club as double Olympic champion Mo Farah won the 3,000m event in a time of 7.42.00, while also announcing his intention to run his first marathon in London in April.

In the high jump Robbie Grabarz had to settle for a runners-up spot behind Alexsey Dmitrik after a 2.29m clearance.

Meanwhile, Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets’ Perri Shakes-Drayton also took second place in the women’s 400m behind United States’ Natasha Hastings with a season’s best time of 51.37.

In the A event Victoria Ohuruogu, sister of former Olympic champion Christine, finished fifth in 54.65 and Gianni Frankis was fifth in the 60m hurdles after clocking 7.70.