Wigan athlete Jenny Meadows admits "sadness and frustration" at Russian doping scandal

Jenny Meadows. Credit: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Wigan athlete Jenny Meadows says she feels sad and frustrated at the Russian doping allegations that have rocked her sport.

Investigations are continuing into claims in a German TV documentary that Russian officials systematically accepted payment from athletes to supply banned substances and cover up tests.

Meadows has more reason than most to feel aggrieved over the scandal.

She has been denied a potential six major international medals over her career by confirmed or alleged dopers.The European indoor champion from 2011, she was denied the chance to celebrate the achievement properly atop the podium by Russia's Yevgeniya Zinurova, who won the race ahead of the Briton only to be stripped of gold. It was some 15 months after the championships before Meadows was confirmed as the winner. That continental crown remains her only major international title.

Meadows is determined not to be denied her gold medal moment when she heads to the European Indoor Championships as favourite for the 800 metres title.

She underlined her credentials for next month's event in Prague by claiming her seventh national title at the Sainsbury's Indoor British Championships in Sheffield last weekend with the fourth fastest time in the world this year.

Asked if she would have unfinished business in Prague, Meadows said: "Yeah, definitely. I feel I'm getting back into the shape of my life and I feel that hopefully the sport is a lot cleaner, so hopefully I can get some just rewards for it and we can get some results that I know are true."

Meadows has defied expectations to return to top form after an injury-plagued couple of years which contributed to her losing her National Lottery funding at end of 2013 season.

The 33-year-old had her 2012 season, and London Olympics hopes, decimated by a torn Achilles, while a stress fracture in her thigh bone ruled her out of the 2013 World Championships.

She hit the comeback trail last year and is now back clocking sub two-minute times, the mark of world-class 800m running.