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No funding for Clitheroe despite gold

Helen Clitheroe will not received Lottery funding despite her Indoor gold medal © Getty Images

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Helen Clitheroe's gold medal in the 3000 metres at the European Indoor Championships will not see her rewarded with Lottery funding.

Clitheroe, 37, saw her Lottery support stripped in 2009 after she failed to finish in the top eight at the World Championships in Berlin.

Despite Charles van Commenee describing her victory in Paris as 'very special', the UK Athletics chief has confirmed that it will not affect Clitheroe's funding situation - insisting that she will have to show form at international level and prover herself as a potential Olympic candidate before she could be considered for restored financial support.

"If she does it outdoors and she is getting results that indicate she is capable of top eight in the Olympics, then yes," Van Commenee said. "Europeans do not count. The Lottery's world-class performance plan is based on global performance."

Clitheroe admits that her lack of funding led her to consider quitting the sport, but has soldiered on thanks to the financial backing of her husband Neil, a teacher.

"It's been difficult financially but I'm glad I've kept going," Clitheroe said. "I try to make a bit of money through running but it's not easy. It's thanks to my husband that I've kept going."

Van Commenee was encouraged by what he saw from the Great Britain team at the European Indoors, focusing on Tiffany Ofili's silver medal in the 60 metres hurdles as a "truly world-class performance" among an eight-medal haul for the squad.

"We doubled the medals from two years ago, which is another sign that we are heading in the right direction," he said.

British sprint sensation Jodie Williams was not one of them - the 17-year-old finishing fourth in the final of the 60 metres - but Van Commenee expects great things from her in future.

"I am excited by her potential," he said. "She's the sort of athlete every country is waiting for."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.