 | CLAXTON FACTS Born: 23/09/79, Colchester Event: Hurdles (100h pb 12.96 secs, 60h pb 7.96secs) Coach: Michael Afilaka Club: Woodford Green & Essex Ladies Honours: 100h AAAs (2004, 2005)
60h AAAs (2003, 2004, 2005) Did you know? At the Manchester Commonwealth Games Claxton competed in the long jump |
Most athletes focus on one major championship a year, two if they opt to sharpen up for the summer with a full indoor season. Sarah Claxton is not most athletes. The 26-year-old hurdler contests both the world indoor championships and the Commonwealth Games inside a fortnight.
She is the only British athlete who will pull on a Team GB vest in Moscow on 10 March before flying nearly 9,000m to represent England in Melbourne.
Jason Gardener chose not to defend his 60m World Indoors title in favour of the Commonwealths while long jumper Nathan Morgan opted for Moscow over defending his Commonwealth crown.
However, Claxton's gutsy decision to double up is not motivated by a sense of patriotic duty - for her it is personal.
"I feel I have a point to prove to myself," Claxton told BBC Sport.
"I don't feel under pressure from anyone other than myself to perform the way I should and to get the times I should.
"But I do want to show people that I can make finals and I can win medals."
Claxton is determined to prove her credentials after a 2005 season which was, by her own admission, disappointing.
In a sensational start to the year, Claxton smashed the UK indoor record twice, setting a new mark of 7.96 seconds.
She went to the European Indoors in Madrid as a real contender but did not qualify for the final after clocking 8.06 in the heats.
|  I've been seeing a sports psychologist to help me combat my nerves, block out external distractions during a race and to build up my confidence |
The pattern repeated itself that summer - Claxton comfortably qualified for the world championships but failed to get through the heats.
"It's frustrating for me because I know I have more to give," Claxton admitted.
"I just need to get it out and take it step-by-step through the semis and to the final.
"I've been seeing a sports psychologist to help me combat my nerves, block out external distractions during a race and to build up my confidence.
"But I'm not going to the Worlds and the Commonwealths to give myself two chances of getting things right - I just wanted to do both."
Claxton is unfazed by the prospect of coping with two major events in such a short space of time.
The most she will have between her heats in Moscow and Melbourne is 13 days - if she reaches the World Indoor final she will have just 12 before she steps onto the track at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The fact the Commonwealths take place in March has already upset the traditional cycle of elite athletes, who train to peak outdoors in mid-summer.
Hitting peak form indoors and outdoors within a fortnight is simply not normal for any athlete in March but Claxton and her coach Michael Afilaka have got it covered.
 Jamaican Golding-Clarke owns the fastest time in the world this season and will be a threat |
"It was our plan at the end of last season, we've been plotting since September," said Claxton.
"I believe I can make the transition from indoors to outdoors quite easily.
"Indoors you have five hurdles and no weather to contend with, outdoors you have an extra five hurdles but you have to deal with the rain and the wind. That's the only difference.
"We've tailored my training to the Commonwealths but just incorporated a trip to the Worlds too.
"I don't want to lose any sleep, so I'll try and doze all the way from Moscow to Melbourne.
"If I manage that and take it easy in my first few days in Australia, I'll be ready to go and hopefully I'll have a medal from the World Indoors to take with me too."
MMIX
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