Shante Little wants to smash her personal best on her British Athletics Championships debut this weekend.

The American-born 400 metres hurdler, whose mother Dannielle was born in Colchester, will compete for the first time since being made eligible to represent Great Britain.

Little, along with four other foreign-born competitors, was last month cleared to compete at this year’s IAAF World Championships and the 2016 Rio Olympics, if selected.

And the 22-year-old knows a good performance at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham will boost her chances of representing Team GB, later this summer.

Little, whose current PB is 56.69 seconds, competes in the women’s 400 metres hurdles heats tomorrow, America’s Independence Day.

She will be hoping to make it through to Sunday’s final and secure qualification for next month’s World Championships, which take place in Beijing.

She said: “I would love to come away with a new PB.

“I’m honoured to have been given the opportunity to be eligible and I’m very thankful for it.”

Little, who is currently ranked third in the UK rankings for the women’s 400m hurdles, has strong links with Colchester, despite having never lived in the town.

Her mother was born and raised there before moving to the United States in her late teens, with her parents.

Little still has a large number of relatives in Colchester and has been a regular visitor to north Essex, for the majority of her life.

The women’s 400m hurdles heats are due to take place at 12.30pm tomorrow, with the final at 3.50pm on Sunday.