Georgia goes from hunter to hunted

RISING STAR IS TIPPED TO STRIKE GOLD

- Alan Smith

GEORGIA HUNTER BELL is still getting used to being the hunted.

A year ago the 1500m runner was about to negotiate a sabbatical from her full-time job in cybersecurity.

But after a surprise bronze medal at the Paris Olympics last August, she now heads to Apeldoorn in the Netherlands as the British team’s biggest name and most likely European champion.

Hunter Bell said: “It’s been a crazy 12 months and, I will say, it’s been quite fun being the underdog. I really enjoyed that role last year.”

Her rise has been so sharp fans will consider anything less than gold in tomorrow night’s 1500m final at the European Indoor Championships before an assault on the world indoor title in China later this month as a disappointment.