Athletics: Seren Bundy-Davies eager for 'world final' race

Seren Bundy-Davies (far right) won individual 400m bronze and relay silver at the European Indoor Championships in March

Welsh 400 metre runner Seren Bundy-Davies says she will take part in the biggest race of her career at the Anniversary Games in London on Friday.

The 20-year-old will line up against 2012 Olympic champion Francina McCroroy from the USA and Britain's 2008 Olympic gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu.

"You don't get that class of race unless you are in a world or Olympic final," Bundy-Davies said.

"It's going to be really, really good quality."

Bundy-Davies finished fourth in the individual 400m at the European Under-23 Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, earlier in July, but helped the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team claim gold in the relay.

The Manchester-based athlete is hoping to run a personal best at the Olympic Stadium as she targets a place in the Great Britain team for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

"I'm just looking forward to the opportunity and I'm not too scared or nervous about it, I've got so much to gain and nothing to lose," said Bundy-Davies.

"I'm looking on to 2016 now, I definitely want an individual (400m place) and I'm going to push for that and hopefully be part of the relay team too.

"Hopefully this race and a few others along the way of this standard will help me get there."

Bundy-Davies claimed European Indoor Championships bronze last March, then lowered her personal best to 51.72 seconds in her first outdoor race of the summer, winning in Nivelles, Belgium, in June.

That matched the Welsh indoor record Bundy-Davies set at the Birmingham Grand Prix in February.

Her run in Belgium means she is only behind former world champion Ohurogu (51.48 sec) and Anyika Onuora (51.67 sec) in the British standings.

That form means Bundy-Davies could gain selection for the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, China, on 22-30 August - although that is less likely because she competed in the European U23 Championships.

UK Athletics has a policy of not allowing athletes to compete in an age-group championship and a senior global championship in the same summer, mindful of the risks associated with exposing athletes to too much intense competition too early.

However, at the discretion of the performance director an U18, U20 or U23 athlete can be allowed to "double-up" with a senior championship.

Although that is likely to preclude Bundy-Davies's selection in the 400m individual event at the Worlds, the biomedical science student could still be included in the relay squad.

With the World Championships qualifying time set at 52.00 sec, Bundy-Davies has already proved she can run under that mark this season.

Alongside her bronze in the individual 400 metres at the European Indoor Championships in Prague earlier this year, Bundy-Davies helped Britain take silver in the relay and then a bronze at the IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas.