Ohuruogu starts her Olympic bid with a good win but must improve for gold

Ohuruogu opened her one-lap campaign with a satisfying victory in the fastest time by a European athlete this year at last night's Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava.

But the 24-year-old Commonwealth champion, although pleased with her win in 51.06 seconds ahead of American Ebonie Floyd and Russia's European silver medallist Tatyana Veshkurova, knows much stiffer tests await her.

Good start: Christine Ohuruogu on her way to victory

Ohuruogu ran a streamlined race for the first 300m and had enough strength to hold off her rivals' challenges in the last 50m.

However, with Beijing favourite Sanya Richards and others already getting into great shape, she predicted if she is to win the gold medal there, she must smash Kathy Cook's long-standing UK record.

Cook posted a time of 49.43sec when winning Olympic bronze at the 1984 Los Angeles Games and even by today's standards, that remains a world-class performance.

"It is going to be very hard to defend the position of world number one from the World Championships in Osaka at the Olympics," said Ohuruogu.

"But I want to try it. It will be necessary to run sub 49 seconds to get gold.

"It was my first outdoor 400m this year so I am satisfied with my time," she added, memories of her ban after missing three out-of-competition drugs tests now fading.

Martyn Rooney maintained his position at the head of the European rankings but admitted he would have liked to improve on his personal best and gone under the 45-second barrier.

Rooney, as he did recently in Geneva, again defeated Ireland's David Gillick but was hoping to improve on the mark of 45.19sec he achieved at the Swiss meeting.

"My goal was to run under 45 seconds today but last week I got flu and had a cold," said the world junior bronze medalist, who finished ahead of Gillick by 0.33sec in 45.32sec.

"I did not feel well at all. I am happy that I won at least."

Now looking forward to the European Cup in Annecy next weekend, he said: "I want to be the number one in Europe and to reach the final at the Olympics.

"These are my main goals for this season."

Tim Benjamin had a night to forget in his season's opener, placing eighth in 47.94sec.

UK javelin record holder Goldie Sayers had to settle for fourth position despite throwing a solid 63.66m in a field that will likely grace the Olympic final.

Germany's European record holder Christine Obergfoll, who Sayers beat last Friday in Kassell, won with an excellent effort of 67.72m.

Jemma Simpson and Marilyn Okoro failed to match the pace of Slovakia's former world junior silver medallist Lucia Klocova, who won the 800m in 1min 59.54sec.

The pair finished fourth and eighth with times of 2:00.56 and 2:01.46, respectively.

Michael Rimmer and Mo Farah also failed to make an impression. Rimmer finished ninth in the 800m in a time of 1:47.10 while Farah's 13:25.01 was only enough for 17th in the 5,000m.