19th February 2013 04:01
When Jenny Meadows left the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Paris in 2011, she did so as the 800m silver medallist.
She could probably never have believed what the next years would bring by the time she would return to the event.
But on Tuesday Meadows was not only selected for Göteborg, she was chosen as the team captain of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team and as the defending champion.
The interim period since Paris has seen Meadows promoted to the gold medal position after Russian Yevgeniya Zinurova was disqualified for drugs offences having beaten the Briton by 0.31 in 2:00.19.
Equally the respect shown for Meadows' ability has arrived in her selection after just one race since injury in September 2011 which forced her out the Olympic Games in London.
She returned to the sport only last Saturday when she finished second in 2:02.86 behind Ekaterina Poistogova, of Russia, in 2:02.86.
But it was enough to show she is competitive again and will have the chance to make her mark in style at the European Athletics Indoor Championships which start in Sweden on March 1.
'It's a great honour to be named captain,' said Meadows, 31. 'I am really excited to be given the opportunity to follow Helen Clitheroe who did such a brilliant job in Paris two years ago.'
Indeed she did - as Clitheroe, at the age of 37, won the 3000m in the greatest result of her career.
She will not be in Göteborg as she is preparing to run the London Marathon in April but Meadows will have a strong British squad to address with her captain's speech and a tribute from British Athletics' Olympic Head Coach Peter Eriksson.
He said: 'Jenny has shown that she is a strong character, with great leadership qualities and experience on this stage - she will be a great captain.'
World Indoor bronze medallist Holly Bleasdale, who leads the world rankings with 4.77m, European high jump Champion Robbie Grabarz are two of the team's main hopes for glory.
Perri Shakes-Drayton and Eilidh Child will be aiming for the podium after a brilliant start to 2013.
They are second and third on the European 400m rankings, with times of 51.37 and 51.50 respectively, as Russian Kseniya Ustalova leads the way with 51.31.
Dwain Chambers, the 60m gold medallist from the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Torino in 2009, was forced out of the trials with a back injury and then failed to make the final at the British Athletics Grand Prix, but he is fit and has been named in the team.
Michael Rimmer and Mukhtar Mohammed are the top two 800m runners in Europe this year and will look to make that form count in Sweden.
Eriksson said: 'I have been really encouraged by the performances so far by the team in 2013, and I am sure this will continue at the European Indoors.'
Great Britain & Northern Ireland team for the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg (March 1-3):
Men:
60m: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Dwain Chambers, James Dasaolu; 400m: Michael Bingham, Nigel Levine, Richard Strachan; 800m: Mukhtar Mohammed, Michael Rimmer, Joe Thomas; 60m hurdles: Andrew Pozzi; 4x400m: Bingham, Richard Buck, Luke Lennon-Ford, Levine, Strachan, Conrad Williams; High Jump: Robbie Grabarz; Pole Vault: Steve Lewis; Long Jump: Chris Tomlinson.
Women:
60m: Asha Philip; 400m: Eilidh Child, Shana Cox, Perri Shakes-Drayton; 800m: Jenny Meadows, 1500m: Laura Muir; 3000m: Lauren Howarth; 4x400m: Margaret Adeoye, Meghan Beesley, Child, Cox, Christine Ohuruogu, Shakes-Drayton; Pole Vault: Holly Bleasdale; Long Jump: Shara Proctor; Triple Jump: Yamilé Aldama.