Eilidh Child helps GB set Rio 2016 standard at IAAF World Relays in Bahamas
Eilidh Child hailed her “brilliant” Great Britain team-mates after earning a 4x400m bronze medal and Rio 2016 Olympic qualification at the IAAF World Relays.
The University of Bath-based athlete ran the first leg in the Bahamas as GB finished a fine third behind strong teams from the United States and Jamaica.
“I am just really proud of how we performed out there,” said Child, who was joined in the British quartet by Anyika Onuora, Kelly Massey and Seren Bundy-Davies.
“We put together a really solid performance and it is only May, so there’s so much more to come from this team.
“[Olympic qualification] just takes such a lot of weight off our shoulders and it means we can really focus on building this team and being ready for Rio next year.”
Jack Green, who used to train alongside Child with Malcolm Arnold at the Sports Training Village, helped Britain finish sixth in the men’s race.
That meant they also set the qualification standard for Rio, as did the bronze medal-winning women’s 4x100m team.
However, there was disappointment for a men’s 4x100m quartet featuring University of Bath graduate Danny Talbot and Andy Robertson.
The pair – coached by Dan Cossins at the Sports Training Village – and team-mates Richard Kilty and James Ellington missed out on the A final by just six-hundredths of a second.
They went on to win the B final and Talbot tweeted: “Didn’t run to our full potential but we left it all on the track. Grateful for another chance to run for Britain. Proud of the lads.”
