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Ellis targets 1500m joy
BARNSLEY'S Sam Ellis is planning an assault on the British rankings in 2008 and has warned 1500m No 1 Michael Rimmer to watch his back.
Having consigning his injury-plagued 2007 season to the history books and having missed out on World Class Podium top-tier Lottery funding in November - Ellis has a point to prove.
The 25-year-old, who is currently in South Africa as part of the UKA Training Camp for the Norwich Union GB & NI Team, shot to prominence in 2006 when he clinched a shock 800m bronze at the European Championships in Gothenburg.
However, Ellis' dreams of kicking on at the World Championships in Osaka the following summer were ended when the City of Sheffield AC star was diagnosed with Plica Syndrome of the knee, which saw him sidelined until November.
But with a return to fitness allowing him to join the great and good of British athletics in Potchefstroom last week, Ellis vowed to upstage Rimmer in the coming months and take top spot.
"Michael (Rimmer) has stepped up and become No.1 and had a lot of publicity but that's what he should have done – I was away," said Ellis.
"I feel great right now after a terrible 2007 and coming back has made me enjoy this more and I know I'm heading in the right direction.
"This a new start for me and hopefully I can compete in the indoors in Glasgow later this month, which would be my first race for 18 months.
"That's going to be a pressure race but I want that pressure in my first race back. I've got to race more this season and that will mean racing more indoors."
And while Ellis is determined to take things one step at a time - the ambitious athlete believes he has the ability to repeat his European trick next summer and surprise the world's elite in Beijing.
"There was expectation on me this time last year after the bronze in Gothenburg but now I've got to come from nowhere again," he added. "And I'm confident I can do that - I'm on track to be up to the fitness of Gothenburg and being in South Africa is a massive help.
"I slipped off the radar last year after what had happened but I know I can come back and kick-up a few surprises as I did in Gothenburg.
"I loved that big occasion and I want more of that.
"Every round I went through in Sweden I felt more confident with the nerves and the situation I was in that by the final I ran my best race."
n Norwich Union is the team behind UK Athletics and are proud to support the Norwich Union GB & NI Team.
To play your part for athletics in your area visit www.joinourteam.com
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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