RHAYADER’S Tom Marshall will return to the track for the first time since the Commonwealth Games at this weekend’s Welsh Championships.

Marshall will step down from his favoured 1500m to try and claim a third Welsh 800m championship on Saturday at the Cardiff International Sports Campus.

At April’s Gold Coast games Marshall missed out on the final, after finishing eighth in his heat, and he admitted he has lacked a little motivation since.

His track season is only now restarting in July due party to injury and illness.

"I’ve struggled to get back into the swing of things so to speak back in the UK, probably because we started the season so early out in Australia," said Marshall.

"It’s difficult to re-focus your goals post a major champs, so I’ve just been training

and enjoying training. I also picked up a slight achilles injury during the Gold Coast, and am still managing that."

The Cardiff AAC athlete, who started with Brecon AC, has mixed emotions when reflecting on his first major track championships.

"I was in shape and would have loved to have made the final at the very least,

but between the emotion of the event, the heat of Australia, and some

troublesome achilles, I did the best that I could.

"Just to be there was a dream, and making it to the start line reduces some of the

disappointment of the result. It does give me that extra motivation to come back in four years and run better at Birmingham though."

While returning to the Commonwealth Games, when he will be 32, is Marshall’s long term aim he hopes to enjoy what remains of the summer season when he returns to racing this weekend.

"My aims have changed somewhat due to my achilles issue, and a bout of (man) flu a few weeks back.

"I was targeting the Welsh record over the mile and 1500, but now It’s just to enjoy the season, find some late races, and see how close I can get to my personal bests. Then I will take some time to fix the injury, and come back next season for another go at the records."

This weekend however Marshall has the Welsh title in his sight with the 800m heats for senior men and women, as well as heats for the 200m and 400m, to be held on Friday evening when entrance is free.

The 800m final takes place on Saturday afternoon when Marshall hopes to pick up a sixth Welsh title.

He said: "I enjoy stepping down at the champs. It’s a great place to hone my tactics,

and speed, and the 800 is the perfect event to do that. I enjoy challenging myself against the 800 specialists, and winning the 800 at the Welsh Champs is always an incredible feeling. I race 1500’s enough, and have been a three time outdoor winner, so it will be great to see if I can get a third 800 title to add to those."