Rising Star Seren Sets Sights On Olympic Final

Seren Bundy-Davies is targeting a place in the Olympic final after becoming the only Welsh competitor to make the Great Britain athletics team for Rio.

The 21-year-old 400m runner will be aiming for individual glory as well as a team medal as part of the 4x400m squad in Brazil next month.

Bundy-Davies – who ran a personal best of 51.26 in Geneva last month – is the sole Welsh face in the squad, the lowest representation the country has managed for any Olympic Games since 1952.

Bundy-Davies – who was born and raised in Manchester to Welsh parents – secured her place in Rio after finishing second at the recent British Championships.

“It still feels a bit surreal to be selected for the Olympics, but now I’m back in training it’s getting more real,” said the runner who won three senior medals for GB in 2015.

“I know I’m in pretty good shape and can run a lot faster than I did in Geneva, in better conditions, I’ve just got to be patient now.

“The aim has always got to be to make the final, so that will be mine.

“I want to work on a few things, mainly my speed work, and then hopefully will be in the shape of my life by the time Rio comes around.”

Bundy-Davies won individual bronze and a relay silver at the European Indoor Championships in Prague last season, before stepping up to the world stage and teaming up with Christine Ohuruogu, Anyika Onuora and Eilidh Doyle to win bronze outdoors.

“I was always wanting a senior individual call up and after the indoors in 2015 I kind of realised I was competing at a much higher level than I had done before – so when I continued that to outdoors, that’s when we said I’ve got a great chance of an individual spot,” she added.

Before Rio, the University of Manchester student will compete in the Anniversary Games at Stratford’s Olympic Stadium, later this month.

Established Welsh stars Brett Morse and Dai Greene failed to make the cut after battling form and fitness this season.

And 400m hurdler Rhys Williams has been overlooked despite running two Olympics qualification times and finishing fifth at the European Championships in Amsterdam last weekend where he was the leading British runner.