A delighted Richard Hill now has designs on becoming a World Indoor medallist after his long-awaited victory at the UK Championships on Sunday.
In the past two years at this event, which also couples as the World Indoor trials, the 800-metre runner has been edged out on the line but this time at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield he held off the challenge of Damien Moss and Sam Ellis to claim victory in one minute 48.26 seconds.
Hill, who turns 22 on Tuesday, was thrilled by his early birthday present of a gold medal and spoke of his relief to finally put the agonising history behind him and be crowned the best in Britain.
"It's great to finally do it," he told Sportinglife.com. "To get that title after two years of missing out, it's more relief than anything.
"I'm on that start line and I'm thinking who beat me last year? James Brewer. Who beat me the year before? Jimmy Watkins. Who could beat me this year? Probably Sam Ellis. And I'm thinking, not again!
"But this year was different because I had the qualifying time for the worlds going into the race, which I've not had in previous years. And finally after the trials I can sit on my throne and not be thinking how I've missed out.
"In the previous years I've just been pipped on the line and obviously been heartbroken to get that close and be the bridesmaid for two years in a row. It would have been too much to happen again but finally it's in the bag."
Now qualification for next month's World Indoor Championships is assured, the Notts athlete is setting himself the target of reaching the final in Valencia, and perhaps even a medal.
"I think I'm in shape to be a contender at the worlds and try and be a finalist and even a medallist," he said. "Realistically I feel I'm in one minute 47, one minute 46 shape and if I can get the breaks anything can happen.
"I know its tactical championship but I've run one minute 48 in the UK Championship without worrying about the time.
"I'm looking forward to it as I know I'm a finalist contender rather than a competitor."
Although Hill is confident of delivering on his goals he is not getting carried away with his success and feels the whole indoor season is just a stepping stone in preparation for this summer's Olympics in Beijing.
He said: "It is an achievement to be the best of British but the difference is I'm seeing it as a means to an end and a chance to become tactically mature and ready for an Olympic summer.
"I'm basing my indoor season off a winter predominantly of 1500m running. I've run a 1500m PB already and coming into the indoor season I've been running off strength rather than speed and that can be a good thing.
"With the two-second rule indoors, I'm looking at one minute 45 which is half a second inside Olympic qualifying time. So the indoor season is a means to an end but it's great to be UK champion."
Overall his aims for 2008 are simple but if all goes according to plan then he knows his ambitions for London 2012 will be even greater.
"I said to myself I want to be a World Indoor finalist and then go outdoors looking to be an Olympic qualifier and then achieve the final.
"I think if I miss the final indoors it's a different story due to the tactical nature of indoor running. I want to make the Olympic final but I know that is the biggest aim of all the British athletes because we're all young.
"That's a positive thing because in 2012 we'll all want medals and finals won't be enough.
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