Emily Borthwick aiming even higher after setting new personal best

Emily Borthwick admits she felt some mixed emotions after leaping to a new personal best at the weekend.

The Wigan Harrier leapt 1.87metres in the high jump while competing at the European Indoor Trials.

It didn’t secure her a place at next month’s event but it did end her four-year wait for a new PB.

Though she was happy to reach a mark which thrust her into Europe’s top 25 this year, there was a tinge of disappointment she didn’t go higher.

Borthwick, 23, said: “It was a big relief because I’ve waited so long for a new PB and it almost justified my decision to move down here (to Loughborough).

“But at the same time I was annoyed I didn’t get higher.

“I was so close to jumping 1.90m, so I was a bit gutted I didn’t get that.”

The European Indoor Trials took place at various Covid-secure centres across the UK.

Teen ace called up for GBLoughborough, where Borthwick lives with her partner and fellow athlete Harry Coppell, hosts the shot, high jump and pole vault.

The qualifying standard for the women’s highjump was a harsh 1.96m – to give that context, the UK record is 1.98m.

Even so, it has given Borthwick plenty of encouragement as she prepares to tackle another block of training ahead of the start of the outdoors campaign.

“Qualifying for the Olympics is 1.95m and the way I was going at the weekend, and the progress I’m making, it doesn’t feel far off,” she said.

“The outdoors start at the end of April or early May, depending on the situation with Covid, so I’ve got another few weeks of hard work and we’ll see how I am then.”

Coppell, didn’t take part in the Trials last weekend as he decided not to compete in the indoors to focus all his efforts on the summer outdoor campaign.

The British record holder has his eyes firmly fixed on success at the summer’s Olympics in Tokyo.