Holmes plays down her golden chance

Ian Chadband13 April 2012

Kelly Holmes is trying to deflect pressure from her quest to become the first British middle distance winner at a major championship for eight years.

She has pronouncing an unsung team-mate as the race favourite in tonight's 1500 metres final at the Commonwealth Games.

No Briton has triumphed in an 800m or metric mile final since Holmes won the 1500m at these Games in Victoria, Canada, in 1994.

After plenty of injury woes and near misses in the intervening years, the 32-year-old has rediscovered such impressive form that she is odds-on to bring down the curtain on the Manchester track programme with a popular gold.

Yet Holmes insists that Preston's Helen Pattinson, a solid performer who reached the Olympic final but has never had a sniff of gold, starts as favourite because she heads the Commonwealth rankings.

"On paper, she's the one to beat. I don't underestimate anyone," Holmes said.

The best bet is that Holmes and two other stalwarts, Steve Backley, in the javelin, and triple jumper Ashia Hansen will prevail, while the two English men's relay squads also have big opportunities to help the host nation finish top of the athletics medal table. England have six golds to Australia's seven.

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