NEWPORT sprinter Mica Moore reckons a massive lifetime best – or strapping rockets to her running spikes – will be needed if she is to claim a place in Great Britain’s World Championships squad.

The planet’s best athletes descend on the Olympic Stadium in London from August 4-13, and the host country’s track and field stars can secure their position in the British team this weekend.

Newport sprinter Moore goes in the 100m at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium tomorrow, as the British Championships and world trials are played out in the UK’s second city.

While she has shown some good form of late, including a season’s best when being crowned Welsh champion earlier this month, Moore knows making the grade for London is highly unlikely.

However, a personal best isn’t out of the question, and another solid performance will only help Moore in her quest to take part in next year’s Commonwealth Games.

When asked if she could force her way into the reckoning for the World Championships, she said: “Not unless I run a very big lifetime best, or put some rockets on my spikes.

“The standard is so high at the moment, which is good for women’s sprinting in Britain because it means we are competing with the rest of the world, and I’m not in the sort of form to compete with the top sprinters.

“In terms of my targets for this weekend, I’m hoping to run another consistent race, and if I could get close to my personal best it would be amazing.

“My season’s best, which I ran at the Welsh Championships, is 11.69 seconds, and my personal best is 11.65 seconds.

“Alexander Stadium is the home of my club (Birchfield Harriers) so it’s nice to go up there to compete, and I know the track is really good to run on.

“It’s a big stadium and the turnout is always good, and that makes it a great atmosphere.”

She added: “I don’t think I’ve missed the British Championships in the time I’ve been doing athletics.

“Apart from the Welsh Championships, it’s my fav-ourite event to do, and I’m excited to see how it goes.”

Moore warmed up for Birmingham with a training run at a Run with the Wind meeting in Cardiff – and there was a very familiar face in the same race.

The mixed 100m saw Moore line up against her boyfriend, Commonwealth Games decathlete Curtis Mathews.

“It was quite difficult to focus with him two lanes from me,” admitted Moore.

“He beat me by 0.4 seconds which he was happy about.

“He has had a few injuries but is getting back on track now and competing in Scotland this weekend.”

Pontypool 3000m steeplechaser Ieuan Thomas is also running in Birmingham tomorrow.

Thomas has already run the Commonwealth Games ‘A’ standard twice and will be looking forward to testing himself against the best of British.

Around 700 athletes, including Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth medallists, from across the country will compete over the two days.

The majority of finals take place during a scintillating afternoon of athletics on Sunday, with the championships being brought to a close by the final of the men’s 200m.