David Omoregie: Welsh 110m hurdler on track for World Championships place

David Omoregie is aiming to qualify for his first senior outdoor major championships

Welsh 110m hurdler David Omoregie says he feels pressure has been taken off him in his bid to race at the World Championships in London in August.

Omoregie, 21, ran a World Championships qualification 'A' standard of 13:47 seconds in his season opener at Loughborough last weekend.

He needs one more 'A' time and must finish in the top two at the British Trials on 1-2 July to cement his place.

"It was a really good weekend," said the student.

"I was hoping to open on a solid time but to start with a World Championships qualification time was great.

"It has taken off a little bit of pressure to get the standard, especially with what happened last year when I was chasing a time and eventually got it a week late.

"I still have to finish top two in the trials and get another time, but it's put me in a really good place."

Personal best

Omoregie last year just missed out on the Olympics in Rio after running the qualification time a week after the deadline, before setting a new personal best of 13.24 secs in Berlin in September a month after the Games in Brazil.

So the Cardiff athlete has his own motivation for qualifying for the 2017 World Championships in his home country.

"It would be massive for me," said Omoregie.

David Omoregie won bronze at the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships

"In 2012 I went to London as a spectator and I was inspired by the performances there and one day wanted to get there myself.

"This would also be my first senior outdoor major championships and I could learn so much from this ahead of the Commonwealth Games and European Championships next year and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics."

Omoregie was due to compete at the City Games in Manchester on Friday, which will go ahead despite the terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena on Monday evening.

But the Welshman pulled out of the event earlier this week because of a minor heel injury and will race next in Hengelo, Netherlands, on 11 June.

Omoregie's youngest sister, Sarah, is also showing promise after being named in a 39-strong team for this summer's Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas.

Sarah is a shot-putter and broke the British Under-18 record in Loughborough over the weekend.

"She has excelled over the last couple of years and I am really proud of her," said Omoregie.

"She is in a good position to get a medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games.

"If she keeps progressing she can throw really far in the future. My mum is really happy and been overwhelmed by the whole experience."