OXFORD City’s Nathan Douglas secured his place in the World Athletics Championships in Beijing later this year with a fine display in the Sainsbury’s British Championships, writes STUART WEIR.

But there was mixed fortunes for the two other leading Oxfordshire athletes in Birmingham Lawrence Clarke won his second British 110m hurdles title, but failed to make the qualifying time.

However, Hannah England, who has finished second and fourth in the last two World Championships, has a lot of work to do to make Beijing after finishing a disappointing eighth place in the women’s 1,500m.

Triple jumper Douglas secured the World Championship qualifying standard (16.90) with his opening jump of 16.94.

Afterwards, he could only manage one legal jump, allowing Julian Reid to win the title with 16.95.

“I was glad that I got the world qualifier with the first jump,” he said.

“That was always the aim – in fact I wanted to go over 17 metres with the first one.

“It was a bit of a shame that I got pipped at the post by Julian at the last minute, which made it a bit bitter-sweet.

“But from where I came from after getting injured just before the European Team Championships, I have got to be happy.”

Clarke, who comes from Christmas Common, near Watlington, won his second British outdoor championship with a time of 13.55 seconds.

“I was really pleased with how I ran – a perfectly executed race from my point of view,” he commented.

“It was a shame that the wind was in the wrong direction and there was a slight lack of the competition that there has been in last year or two.”

Clarke still needs the qualifying time of 13.47 to ensure he will travel to China, but is confident with races to come at Lucerne and Loughborough, as well as the Olympic Stadium.

England’s time of 4mins 19.12secs was almost nine seconds behind winner, Laura Muir.

The Oxford City athlete was unable to keep pace with Muir when she kicked with two laps to go, and faded badly in the home straight.

“I struggled in the last 100 and was frustrating to lose a lot of spots,” she said.

“With 100 to go I was thinking ‘I could come through’, but it did not happen.

“But with three weeks to go until selection and only two girls have the qualifying time, I will keep going and give myself a shot at it.”

Radley’s Ramone Smith won his heat in the 100m and then was fourth in a season’s best of 10.50 in the semi-final, just missing out on a place in the final.

Kyle Ennis, from Banbury, was fifth in his heat of the 200m in 21.61 and fourth in his heat of the 100m, his time of 10.82 seeing him miss out on a spot in the semi-final by an agonising 0.05.

Former Radley 800m runner Carolyn Plateau came home 11th in the 1,500m.