Athletice: Veteran Fraser Secures Double Win

Page last updated at 19:21 GMT, Sunday, 15 February 2009

Fraser was close to retiring after missing out on the Olympic relay team Donna Fraser rolled back the years as she claimed a superb 200m and 400m double at the European Trials and UK Championships in Sheffield. The 36-year-old took the 200m in 23.48 seconds, while her time of 52.83 for the 400m was just outside the European Championships qualifying standard. Meanwhile, Mo Farah continued his fine form with victory in the 1500m in a time of three minutes 40.57. Kelly Sotherton took silver in the shot put, but pulled out of the high jump. The heptathlete had a slight hip injury and decided to withdraw from the high jump as a precaution. But the real success story of the day was Fraser's performance as she justified her decision not to retire. "I must really love this sport, I don't know what possessed me to take on both events this weekend at my age," said Fraser. "I think it's just what I'm used to, I've always done loads of races in one weekend. If I have just one race I sit at home worrying about it, whereas if I've got loads it takes the nerves away. "I don't know about the rest of the season yet. The mind's still willing but the body's getting old. I just want to get through the indoors and make my decision." Farah set a new stadium record for the 1500m just two weeks after breaking the British record in the 3,000m in Glasgow. "I came here to work hard and that's what I did," said the 25-year-old. "I needed to do some speed work and this was great preparation for the 3,000m at the Europeans." It is the first event for UK Athletics' new head coach Charles van Commenee ahead of the European Indoors Championships in Turin which begin on 6 March.