SHOT-PUTTER Scott Lincoln won the Northern Championship last weekend but still needs to improve in order to qualify for the European Athletics Indoor Championships (EAIC).

Lincoln, who represents City of York Athletic Club (COYAC), is Great Britain's number one but missed out on last summer's Olympic Games.

He won the Northern Championship in Sheffield with a throw of 18.87 metres (which was a record for the competition) and club-mate Henry Fairclough, still only 17, finished third with a personal best throw of 13.34m.

Lincoln has three major tournaments in his sights during the next 18 months - the EAIC, which takes place in Belgrade between March 3-5, the World Championships, which are being held at London's Olympic Park in August, and the Commonwealth Games in Queensland, Australia next April.

At 23, he is still improving but the clock is now ticking, however, if Lincoln - whose full-time job is a builder - is to qualify for Belgrade.

"Qualification for the European indoors is early in the calendar," said Paul Wilson, COYAC Head Throws & Combined Events Coach. "All athletes have to qualify by the second week in February so Scott now has only two more opportunities to reach the required standard."

The qualifying standard for the EAIC is 19.80m - which is 21 centimetres above Lincoln's personal best throw of 19.59m.

His next opportunity arrives when he represents England at the Vienna Indoor Classic on January 28.

On February 11-12, he has a final opportunity when the British Athletics Indoor Team Trials are held at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

"Scott is training very well so hopefully he is going to reach the qualifying standard," said Wilson. "He doesn't throw as far in training as he does in competitions - as he uses the adrenalin to lift him further."

City of York sprinter Becky Campsall, meanwhile, will be accompanying Lincoln to Vienna to compete in the 60 metres event.

Originally from Acomb, Campsall attended Sheffield University and now works for a law firm in the Steel City but competes in a York vest.

She won the Northern Championship last weekend in a time of 7.48 seconds but has slipped down the British rankings to number six and her personal best is 0.2 seconds above the 7.25 qualifying target for the EAIC.

Anyone interested in sponsoring Lincoln should contact Paul Wilson via email paulthecoach@hotmail.co.uk