Birmingham's Kelly Sotherton will draw inspiration from her performance in the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham as she prepares to do battle with rival Carolina Kluft at next month's World Indoor Championships.
Sotherton was forced to play second fiddle to the imperious Swede in an enthralling three-event challenge on Saturday but her performance at the National Indoor Arena will have buoyed her ahead of a clash with Kluft, who is unbeaten in multi-events for five years.
Commonwealth heptathlon champion Sotherton lost out by just 18 points after their long jump, 60 metres hurdles and 400m encounters.
After a disappointing long jump she nearly pulled off a shock victory with thrilling successes in the low hurdles and 400m.
The Birchfield Harrier looked in excellent shape after a pre-Christmas foot injury hampered her training and she admitted she blew her chances of winning when managing only 6.27m in the long jump.
But she dominated both track events improving her lifetime bests by substantial margins with times of 8.17 seconds and 52.47sec.
Sotherton knows she is getting nearer the world's greatest heptathlete after losing last year's European Indoor pentathlon title by just 17 points to Kluft in a nailbiting contest.
The pair may be great friends but they are also intense rivals and their clash in Valencia again promises to be one of the meeting's highlights.
That was the case in the NIA, when with a remarkable fightback, she staved off a possible defeat as Sotherton produced a remarkable 400m show in the final event.
Kluft showed the determination which has made her such a dominant force after Sotherton blasted away immediately when their two-lap encounter got under way.
Sotherton pulled five metres clear by the half distance but Kluft, knowing she had to beat her by a 0.90sec, brilliantly recovered some of the missing metres to come up trumps.
"Kelly ran a wonderful race and I just had to keep up with her," said Kluft, who lowered her personal best to 52.98sec.
"It was hard but a great race for both of us. "The fitness is coming but I need some technical improvements," added the Olympic and world heptathlon title holder as she prepares for the WIC.
Sotherton, who struck nearly two seconds from her previous 400m fastest, said: "If I'd had a half decent long jump I could have won.
"I think I showed that win, lose or draw I will always come out fighting."
Phillips Idowu also offered form which suggests he can medal in Spain, four times clearing over the world class benchmark of 17m in the triple jump.
Last year's European Indoor champion's furthest effort of 17.21m came with his opening jump as he won easily from Dmitrij Valukevic and Kenta Bell.
"I had a few problems with my run up but I know I can now come in week in week out and do 17.20s," said Idowu, knowing a bigger jump will be required in Valencia. I'll need a bit more but that's fine, there's more to come."
Simeon Williamson staked his final claim for a place in the Norwich Union GB when slicing three-hundredths-of-a-second from his 60m personal best with a time of 6.57sec.
The European Under-23 100m champion was pipped on the line by Jaysuma Saidy Ndure who set a Norwegian record of 6.56sec, but believes he has done enough to earn a place in the world side.
Williamson, runner-up in the trials behind Dwain Chambers, said: "I'm in the best-ever form of my life. I can't make them pick me."
But he is adamant he is the man who should be partnering the controversial Chambers who was not invited to compete at the Grand Prix.
Williamson, who supports Chambers' inclusion in the team, added: "I only hope I have done enough to make the team for Valencia. I've ran a personal best and I can't do much more."
However Williamson will have to wait until the selectors have one last opportunity to hear how Craig Pickering, his major rival, fares when competing at the SEAT meeting in Paris next Friday. The European silver medallist after a brilliant start to the season, finished fifth in the trial race and missed a head-to-head with Williamson through illness.
