TROWBRIDGE sprinter Danny Talbot insists settling for silver is not a feeling he wants to get accustomed to after seeing his 200m title snatched away at the Sainsbury’s British Championships.

Talbot headed into Saturday’s final at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium as the reigning champion in the event having clocked 20.42 seconds in 2014.

He didn’t go as fast this time around, although it was still a season’s best effort as he crossed the line in 20.61 seconds.

However it was not enough for victory as Anguilla-born Zharnel Hughes recorded an even better time of 20.42 to book his spot on the Great Britain team for the World Championships in Beijing while bronze went to James Ellington with 20.62 seconds.

While disappointed with the result, Talbot insists the sprinting competition will only drive him on to keep pushing hard.

“I didn't go as well as I wanted to really and it just wasn't quite there,” said Talbot, speaking at the event, a partnership with British Athletics that builds on Sainsbury’s support for the 2012 Paralympics and recognises that sport can unite and inspire children of all ages.

“It's a race that I feel I should have been further up the field and I should have won it in the time it was won in.

“British sprinting is really strong at the moment and it's where we need to be if we are serious about challenging the Americans and Jamaicans.

“We need to keep producing talent like we have and we need to keep racing each other and pushing each other forward.

“We are capable of getting two or three people in each sprint final but we just need to believe that we are capable of doing it.

“Hopefully that also means it comes together in the relay and we get a medal there as well.”

To qualify for the Great Britain team for the Worlds in Beijing, athletes need to not only finish inside the top two at the Championships in Birmingham but also twice hit the qualifying standard before the end of the month.

That time stands at 20.50 seconds for the 200m, something Talbot has not yet managed this season – although he insists he is looking at the bigger picture, with qualification for Rio 2016 in mind.

“I don't think you are ever happy when you lose, I came here to defend my title and that is what I wanted to do but the next best thing is a silver medal,” he added.

“It's a step in the right direction though so I'll just go back and keep working hard and try and get that qualifying time.

“I have to get the qualifying time for Rio so I have to keep executing and come away with a fast time.”

Elsewhere over the weekend, Marshfield's Loren Bleaken finished fourth in her 400m heat in a time of 54.99 seconds while 1500m runner David Bishop was also unable to progress from the heats, clocking 3:47.50 minutes for seventh in his race.

Sainsbury's is a proud partner of British Athletics. The partnership reflects Sainsbury's wider commitment to inspiring healthy lifestyles for all, and complements grassroots campaigns such as Active Kids and the Sainsbury's School Games. www.sainsburys.co.uk