Perri's Double Medal Glory

NEWS

Perri's Double Medal Glory

Perri Shakes-Drayton claimed two European Bronze medals and set two new personal best times after a successful championship in Barcelona...

A rising star of UK athletics, Perri Shakes-Drayton announced that her exceptional talent is transpiring into results on the big stage as she returned home from Barcelona with two European medals after some exceptional running displays.

Labelled as an unpolished diamond by the Telegraph, 21 year-old Perri has highlighted her competition creditentials as she sliced more than half a second off her lifetime best in the final of the 400m hurdles to claim the European bronze medal with a time of 54.18s. Just two days later, Perri was in the medals again, this time in the women's 4 x 400m where she ran an astonishing last leg split of 49.7s (unofficial) to secure the bronze for Team GB.

When asked how she was feeling after securing her individual bronze, Perri responded "Wicked... I was chuffed just to get to the final (after setting a then new PB in the semi-final). Then I got lane seven so I said ‘just go for it' but I did loads wrong in the race, hurdling-wise. I was going up too high instead of just gliding. But that's me - always expecting more!"

If more is to come then anything could be possible for Perri as her time of 54.18 has only ever been bettered among Britons by Tasha Danvers and MTC's Sally Gunnell, who won the Olympic gold in the same stadium. The next two years are sure to be exciting for the girl who can see the Olympic site rising before her eyes at the end of her road as she predicts that if she continues to progress at her current rate then an even more impressive medal could await her.

Congratulations to Perri on her amazing performances from all at MTC!

To watch Perri in action in both the 400m hurdles final and the 4 x 400m relay final click on the links below.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8873315.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8875621.stm