Lyne bids to repay selectors' faith

Selectors kept faith with the 800m runner, a former Tapton School pupil, as she has struggled to race and find form after injury.

The third leg of the British Grand Prix at Crystal Palace on Friday was the last chance saloon for her and she needed to achieve the World qualifying time of 2 minutes and beat Wigan’s Jenny Meadows for the third and final spot on the GB team.

Having only raced twice this season due to injury, she took the first lap conservatively and then displayed a spirited final 100m to cross the finish-line in 2:00.86; marginally behind Meadows.

It was enough to sway selectors in favour of the 25-year-old European bronze medallist from Hallamshire Harriers.

She said: “It’s weird as I’m not really celebrating, as the aim at the start of the year was to run well in the World championship not just to qualify – I really want to get the job done.

“I had an inkling after Crystal Palace that I’d get picked – I showed the progress I’m making and I hope to repay the selectors’ faith by continuing to go from strength to strength.”

“If I stay injury-free and continue to train well, anything’s possible. I’ve got a good training base behind me.”

World-ranked 46th this season, Lyne is reluctant to predict a return to medal-winning form. “I’m not taking anything for granted or making predictions – I’ve learned how quickly things can be taken away from you.”

The Sheffield comeback queen will next compete over 1500m at Watford this week, followed by either a two-lap or metric mile appearance at the British Miler’s Club Grand Prix at Stretford on Saturday night, before heading off to Macau to acclimatise at the Great Britain training camp.