Jenny Meadows wants to head to the World Championships this summer on the back of winning her first UK outdoor title.
UK title is the first objective for Britain's 800m number one
Jenny Meadows is intent on claiming a fifth successive major medal over 800 metres at this summer's World Championships - but before then wants to taste UK outdoor glory for the first time in her career.
Despite the 30-year-old's prolific exploits on the international stage since her breakthrough bronze in Berlin two years ago, Meadows is still searching for her maiden national title and is expecting another tough race at this weekend's Aviva UK Trials and Championships in Birmingham.
The Wigan and District athlete, who has won seven domestic indoor crowns, is currently ranked British number one and will be favourite for victory, although her main rivals Jemma Simpson and Marilyn Okoro will be out to prove a point.
The trio have been Britain's leading 800m runners for several years but so far only Meadows has made the podium at major international events and seems to be stretching further away from her compatriots.
"There's always a British challenge and unbelievably I've never won the UK Championships," said Meadows, who has collected four world and European medals both indoors and outdoors over the past two years.
"I've never actually been the UK outdoor champion despite winning lots of other medals the last few years. I've won the indoor equivalent on seven occasions, which is a record, but never the outdoors.
"I am British number one but it would be nice to get the win in Birmingham and be crowned British champion.
"The women's 800m has been very competitive for the last five seasons so I'm definitely not slacking off and thinking it will be an easy race.
"Other than myself there's probably another four girls in contention to make the World Championships and there's only three slots so it's going to be as competitive as ever.
"It's been the same three making the team for the past four seasons starting back in 2007 at the World Championships right through to the European Championships in Barcelona last year. It was always a case of 'who's going to be the first of us to win a medal?' and obviously I'm really glad it was me.
"Sometimes when you win a medal, like I did in Berlin, you wonder if it was a fluke, so for me it's been great to back it up by winning medals in each of the last four major championships.
"I'm sure the other girls think about how we've been together throughout the years and there's been times when Jemma and Marilyn have been ahead of me so I'm sure that makes them think if they can get in the right place at the right time they can also medal as well.
"From a personal point of view it's so important to have those girls giving me that really fierce competition at home because I can't rest on my laurels.
"The competition that I face in the UK prepares me really well for the competition I face internationally and I'm sure it spurs the rest of them on too."
World ambition
Looking ahead to the World Championships, which run from August 27 to September 4 in Daegu, South Korea, Meadows isn't fazed despite being well down the world rankings based on times this year and feels there's as many as 20 potential winners in such an open event.
"It's strange the women's 800m this year," she added. "I don't think there's a clear world number one this year and there's a lot of girls improving their personal best.
"But there's probably only about six or seven athletes who are consistent. If you look at a lot of the girls who have quicker times than me this year, I have actually finished in front of them in other races.
"It's all to play for this year which I guess makes it more exciting - anything can happen at the World Championships. It's just six weeks away and I believe any one of maybe 20 can take the world title.
"I'm hoping it comes down to experience because I've been there before and I don't get overawed by major championships anymore. I am very focused and also very excited."
Defending champion Caster Semenya, who romped to an emphatic victory in a stunning time of 1:55.45 in Berlin two years ago before she was suspended from the sport until July 2010 while the IAAF investigated her gender, will be among the favourites, although Meadows feels the South African isn't looking quite so formidable this year.
She said: "Caster has had to deal with things I can even imagine over the past couple over the years but it's not obviously dampened her passion for the sport.
"The good thing is for every athlete this year is that Caster is not invincible. In Berlin, the way she ran away from the rest of the world meant everybody was racing for silver because she was that far in front.
"It's hard to tell what kind of shape she is in this year - there's not been a lot documented about how she's training although there wasn't before Berlin either. But I don't think Caster is the favourite - she has a big chance of getting a medal but I'm not sure she's quite as consistent as some of the other girls.
"She's finished second and third in a couple of Diamond League races but she did win in Paris so you can never write her off."
Olympic countdown
There is just one year to go until London 2012 begins and Meadows is amazed at how quickly the time has flown by since missing out on a place in the final in Beijing.
She said: "Back in 2008 you're thinking 'I wonder what sort of an athlete I'll be in four years'. It seemed so far away and now it's unbelievable to think we're just 12 months away now.
"A home Olympics is such an incredible opportunity to really use the crowd to fuel your ambition and passion to produce that performance.
"The four years are flying by, it's so scary but I'm really excited at the same time."
Meadows has vowed to push the limits in training to give her the best possible chance of winning a medal in London and insists holding back to reduce the risk of injury is simply not an option.
She said: "Come the middle of October when I start my winter training I don't think I'll need any extra motivation. I'm going to push my body as hard as I can and not think about injuries.
"Every athlete has to go for it and leave no stone unturned but also be very sensible in terms of stretching, rest and recovering. You have to take your physio treatment really seriously and make sure that away from athletics you stay in one piece.
"I'll definitely not be holding back in training, I'll be giving in everything in order to try and get the best result possible."
Jenny Meadows is a Mitchum sponsored UKA athlete. The Mitchum anti-perspirant and deodorant range for men and women is available nationwide www.mitchum.co.uk
