A total of 39 qualifying standards have been set thus far for 2014 by Scottish athletes, and there will be more after the two-day national championships which start today at Scotstoun (12.30pm).

Steph Twell, the Delhi 5000m bronze medallist, has already qualified at that distance and today runs the 1500m, a trip at which she was formerly world junior champion. Twell was quite the brightest star in the British female endurance firmament until an horrific ankle break in 2011. It kept her out of the European championships, Olympics, and now the Worlds, but she is still resolutely intent on salvaging her career.

The path has been brutal: axed from UK funding and now denied a World berth in Moscow because she is 0.60sec outside the A qualifying standard. UK Athletics could have exercised discretion - she is a developing athlete in the event, yet GB No.1 and Britain's fourth fastest ever.

"I do feel there have been inconsistencies in the policy," she told me yesterday. "Andrew Osagie [800m] has been to an Olympics and only has a B standard, yet he is going. Other athletes got extentions and nine female 400m relay runners are going.

"They are undermining the heart and soul that athletes put in, but I do it for my own happiness, and eventually, hopefully I will hold all the cards and they will have to answer to me in a way if I run fast enough.

"I definitely have not abandoned 1500m, but I have missed a whole season and a half. This is about getting used to 1500m pace again. I'll do the 5000 for definite in Glasgow 2014, but would like to do the 1500m at the European championships.

"I have a 5k in the Zurich Diamond League after the World champs, but Scotstoun is a great opportunity to win a first national title in the lead-up to the Commonwealths.

"I can cope financially for now, but not being selected for Moscow will impact on my Nike contract. It makes me sad, but I must look forward. I am enjoying it, and have set no limit in getting back to the athlete I was. There are going to have to be life questions: relationships, funding and sacrifices, but I don't want to think about that yet. Should I get a job? Although I am going back to study psychology at university part time.

"My heart will not be in Moscow. My future and my destiny lies differently. And my destiny I can control here in Glasgow."