Holt is ready to fight pain in UK trials (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Holt is ready to fight pain in UK trials

6:17pm Wednesday 24th June 2009 in

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Cleckheaton’s Sarah Holt will throw through the pain barrier this weekend as she continues her quest for European Under-23 Athletics Championship glory this summer.

The Sale Harrier, who is ranked third at the hammer in the UK, heads to Bedford this weekend for the trials with her expected victory a guarantee that she will compete at the showpiece event in Lithuania next month with the qualification standard already in the bank.

But the 22-year-old – who smashed her own under-23 British record on her way to winning the Halle Throws Festival in Germany last month – will have to do it the hard way after revealing she will go under the knife at the end of the month to correct a torn cartilage in her hip.

Holt’s injury has already ended her outside chances of qualifying for the World Championships but insists it was never going to scupper her European chances.

“I am due to have surgery at the end of June,” said Holt – who is one of 15 up-and-coming athletes selected for the UK Athletics Heroes Project, supported by Original Source.

“It’s been a difficult week or so as I had a test injection to try and determine how the operation will go and I am hobbling.

“Initially I said I would carry on with normal training but everything didn’t really go according to plan and once the anaesthetic from the injection wore off there was quite a bit of discomfort.

“I have booked in for the operation now but am still going to Bedford and to the European Championships because that is my main aim for the year.

“I think if I didn’t have the injury I would have an outside chance to go to the World Championships in Berlin with all the senior guys.

“But with the Commonwealth Games coming up next year I have decided to sacrifice the worlds in order to be in the best possible shape to go to India.”

Holt will be the big favourite in Bedford. Her personal best of 65.33m is over 12 metres clear of nearest rival Hayley Murray.

And while Holt refused to admit victory was already a done deal, she admitted she is only concerned with bettering the qualification distance.

* The UKA Heroes project, sponsored by Original Source, is a successful initiative which offers financial support to talented young athletes who are working towards the 2012 and 2016 Olympic and Paralympics.