Ohuruogu praying for Olympic ban to be lifted

LONDON, Sep 11 (Reuters) World 400 metres champion Christine Ohuruogu says she is proud to run for Britain but has not dismissed the idea of competing for another country.

Ohuruogu returned to action at the world championships in Osaka, Japan last month to claim gold after completing a one-year ban for missing three doping tests.

However, under British Olympic Association (BOA) rules any athlete committing a doping offence faces a lifetime ban from the Olympics and Ohuruogu had hinted that she could run for Nigeria if her appeal against the suspension is unsuccessful.

''Britain will be my first choice and I wouldn't want to run for anyone else because this is where I grew up,'' she told BBC's Inside Sport programme yesterday.

''I'll keep praying but you can never be sure what will happen. The way I see it I was very proud when I was on the rostrum and I won the gold medal for Great Britain and I was very proud to elevate British athletics.

''I've not considered my options but I'm hoping and praying everything will have a positive outcome.'' A decision is expected next month on whether the BOA will relax its ban on Ohuruogu who admitted that she was entirely to blame for missing the tests.

''I know I should have remembered and it was a big error on my part to allow such a huge mistake to be made,'' the 24-year-old said.

''I have to sit back and say I do take responsibility for that. I've paid the penalty for a huge mistake that should never have happened.'' REUTERS TB RN0526