Helen Clitheroe - just as when she is running in a British vest - is likely to be the quiet woman of Team England at the Commonwealth Games.

But Clitheroe, now an accomplished performer on the world 1,500metres stage, harbours many ambitions.

The 32-year-old Lancastrian never likes spending too much time away from home but is confident she could return from her trip to Melbourne with a gold medal.

Clitheroe is determined to add another honour to her many other athletics trophies and awards, which include a Commonwealth bronze from Manchester four years ago.

On that occasion she and Hayley Tullett were no match for the finishing speed of Kelly Holmes, who led a British clean sweep of the metric-mile medals.

Clitheroe probably paid the penalty for trying to match the pace of the future Olympic champion until the final 200m - tiring and allowing Wales' Tullett to steal the runner-up slot by one hundredth-of-a-second.

But Clitheroe, coached by former top-class British international 5,000m runner John Nuttall, is never heard to complain.

In what will be her third successive Commonwealth Games, though, she does not lack belief that she has what it takes to bring home the gold medal.

"That's what I'm wanting to do, everything going very well, and I'm certainly going there wanting to win it," she said.

Clitheroe will doubtless face some tough competition but she is confident she can compete with the best.

"I don't know 'Kenyan-wise' who will be running and I only have an idea of who might be competing," she added.

"But I'm pretty sure the Canadian girl Carmen Douma-Husar, who's an old foe, will be there - and, of course, there'll be a few Australians like Georgie Clarke trying to win on home soil.

"I'll check the start list straightaway, because I do want to know who I'm likely to be head-to-head against and because I want to think about the tactics they might employ.

"At the end of the day, whoever I'm racing I've got to be ready to do anything that needs to be done - to get what I want to get."

Clitheroe has not ruled out another clean sweep by British contestants.

"I don't see why not," she said.

"I do think there are good overseas athletes, but the British teams are also strong."

Clitheroe is impressed by 22-year-old European Under-23s bronze medallist Lisa Dobriskey, who is quickly building and confirming her ability after that success.

"I think she'll be up for showing what a powerful and potential runner of the future she can be," said Clitheroe, herself a fairly late developer.

"It's pretty amazing the time she has run at her age, and she can only get better. Good luck to her ... but I want to beat her."