McConnell sees future in hurdles

McConnell won a bronze medal in Melbourne

Commonwealth bronze medallist Lee McConnell is to stick with the 400m hurdles after her success in Melbourne.

The Scot picked up silver at the Games four years ago in the flat 400m but is enjoying the switch.

"My main focus will be the hurdles," she told BBC Sport. "My coach has not included any flat 400m races in my schedule for this season.

"But I'd like to keep it up because I want to stay involved in the Great Britain 4x400m relay team."

McConnell set a new Scottish record, coming in third behind Australia's Jana Pittman and England's Natasha Danvers-Smith in Melbourne.

And now she is targeting August's European Championships in Gothenburg.

"It's (the hurdles) still a new event for me," added McConnell. "So much went wrong (in Australia) but I still managed a personal best.

"It's a very technical event but I'm a lot more confident now and I can work on improving."

Much has been made of the fact that many of Scotland's Commonwealth Games successes are not based in their homeland, but McConnell has no intention to base herself abroad.

"A warmer climate would help but my coach (Rodger Harkins) is more important to me," she added.

"I have great belief in my coach and I would never leave. Anyway, he says the rain and the snow makes you tougher!"