Last updated at 11:58, Tuesday, 17 July 2012

Carlisle javelin star Lee Doran will get the chance to prove a big point tomorrow when he takes on British rival Mervyn Luckwell – the man who pipped him to a place at the London Olympics.

Lee Doran

Doran and Luckwell will headline an enthralling javelin competition at the Welsh Athletics International in Cardiff when pride as well as a cash prize will be at stake.

The two are currently number one and two in the British rankings, Luckwell having thrown 82.15m in 2012 and Doran, who won the UK Championships and Olympic Trials in Birmingham last month, following with 79.72m.

Tomorrow night’s competition will give Doran a great chance to get one over his rival after he missed out to Luckwell on a place at the Olympics.

The 27-year-old, from Morton, failed to throw the qualifying distance in his last competition before Team GB officials shut the door on selection as he could only manage 74.09m in a British Athletics League meeting.

He spent the next few days on red alert after Luckwell suffered an injury, only to be passed fit.

Luckwell will aim to repay the trust of the selectors as he prepares to compete at the Olympic Stadium.

However, Doran will be able to rely on the passionate Cardiff crowd for home support as he is now based in the Welsh city, where he works as an athletics coach at the International Sports Stadium, his training base for most of the year.

The Carlisle athlete has been battling an ankle injury over the last month but insists his confidence is intact despite his Olympic disappointment.

“I’m really looking forward to it and it is a chance to put in a good performance and let that speak for me,” said Doran.

“I’m a bit rusty as I haven’t thrown for two and a half weeks but I’m still feeling confident.

“I’m aiming for 75m-79m but it will be interesting to see when happens with the weather as that could affect things.”

Besides the final prize and the bragging rights, the night sees another title potentially at stake – the Cardiff stadium’s javelin record.

With the two best throwers in Britain aiming to overcome each other in the Welsh showdown, the record – by Doran – looks in danger to fall against some quality performance.

First published at 11:27, Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk