Dobriskey won 1500m gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games

Lisa Dobriskey is confident she can regain full fitness in time to challenge for a medal at next month's European Championships in Barcelona.

The Ashford-born 1500m World Championships silver medallist finished third in the UK Championships after her season was disrupted by a back injury.

The 27-year-old said: "I have to get a fast race under my belt - possibly at Madrid on Friday, and Gateshead.

"Hopefully I will do enough to get to the Europeans."

Dobriskey missed the trials for the 2009 World Championships in Berlin with a stress fracture to her back, but was selected anyway - and justified that decision by winning a silver medal.

She added: "In terms of fitness I'm reasonably confident that, give me four weeks and I will be fine.

"But I wish things had run a bit smoother, I can't afford this stress all the time."

I'm reasonably happy, I'm not over the moon but I'm not devastated Lisa Dobriskey on her early season form

Hannah England sealed her place on the team for Barcelona by winning the 1500m on Sunday, and Coventry's Celia Taylor, who does not have the required qualifying standard, came second.

"The season has kicked off and I'm just a few weeks behind where I need to be, and with the trials being early I haven't had the chance to catch that time back," said Dobriskey.

"I totally didn't feel ready in Birmingham. I was so nervous before the heats. I'd done one race before and ran four minutes 14 seconds.

"I'm not race sharp, I've not done the speed sessions that I need to and a race like that, when it was so slow my heart sank.

"A strong race would have worked better for me but in the bigger picture I was pleased with how I responded on the final lap and there was a bit of speed there, a bit of sharpness.

"I'm reasonably happy, I'm not over the moon but I'm not devastated."

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