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Vicky Barr has said she is in the best shape of her life - and is determined to prove it in the 4x400m heats at the World Championships in the Olympic Stadium on Saturday.

The 27-year-old was dealt a major blow at last month's Aviva World Trials and UK Championships when she was ruled out of the final through illness as Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu added another gold to her collection.

Barr was not expected to beat the reigning world champion but with Nicola Sanders and Lee McConnell - both ahead of her in the UK rankings - absent through injury, she knew second and an impressive time could have been enough to be selected for the second 400m individual spot.

But after missing out - coupled with the return to form and fitness of Sanders in the weeks following - Barr was overlooked and forced to settle for a place in the relay squad - as she did 12 months ago in Beijing.

"It was a massive disappointment not to get an individual spot because I feel like I am running so well in training and then in races it is just not working out," said Barr.

"I am not having the best of luck in races because I have had a few niggles going into them - nothing serious, but generally I do feel good and I am getting personal bests in training.

"I got a PB over the 300 and everything just seems to be slotting into place now and going really, really well.

"But the priority now is getting on and being a part of the relay team, putting together the strongest team we can and bringing back a medal.

"There is a great mood among the 4x400 girls, there always is. We want to be getting a medal because in Osaka we got the bronze and I really think we can do better.

"Everyone is running really well and it is a good atmosphere among the girls and we are confident we can do well."

Barr's disappointment is even more evident following her decision to up sticks from her native Gateshead and move to London to train alongside the likes of Ohuruogu at the Lea Valley Athletics Centre.

And while Barr admits she is still finding her feet in the capital, she insists the move will reap rewards in the remainder of her career on the track.

"The season hasn't gone exactly how I would have wanted to but I changed coach at the start of the year and moved down to London," she added.

"The change was for a number of reasons but mainly because I felt so isolated up in Gateshead.

"There are some good athletes up there but none that I felt that I could train with. I have got a great group now with Marilyn Okoro, Montell Douglas and Donna Fraser so I have got experience and new talent in there which is great.

"It will come out on the track before the end of the season and if not it will be next season but personally I feel like it is the first time I have trained properly for the 400.

"Since I moved down to London it has just been great and it is just really motivating because I have a competitive group there and that is what I needed.

"I had to make the move to achieve my aims and hopefully I can get on funding this season so I can just focus on running and not have to do anything else."

More than the Games / Eurosport