Antrim sprinter Lauren Roy is trying to find some solace and extra motivation after her surprise omission from the Northern Ireland athletics team ahead of this week’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.The fastest Irish woman so far this year over 100m and 200m, Roy had originally been targeting the Commonwealth Games as one of her main competitions this summer, but her request for selection was rejected after she missed the Northern Ireland Championships last month.The 25-year-old from Ballymena was in her final term of eligibility at Tarleton State University in Texas, qualifying for the 200m at the NCAA Championships on the second weekend in June, which directly clashed with the Northern Ireland Championships. When the selection policy for Glasgow was first published last year, requiring participation at either the 2025 or 2026 championships, these dates hadn’t been confirmed. By the time Roy realised the clash this year, her first commitment was to her university. “The policy didn’t state anything about dates of the Northern Ireland Championships until after I was told about my NCAA Championships,” she says. “So obviously it just wasn’t feasible for me to make it. “After the date was announced, we asked the governing body was it possible to have a special request to not compete in the championships. And we were told that no, we had to follow the policy.Lauren Roy representing Tarleton State University and Ireland in the 200m at the 2025 World University Games in Bochum, Germany. Photograph: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile “There was some back and forth, then the final decision came and I contacted Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland themselves, rather than Athletics NI. And unfortunately they can’t really have a say on it, it’s more who they’re given through nominations.“I wouldn’t use the word anger, I would just say more disappointed, because I’d have loved to be able to represent Northern Ireland with such strong athletes that they are sending.”Roy also missed last year’s Northern Ireland Championships, which took place in August, as she’d already returned to the US.The Commonwealth Games start in Glasgow on Thursday, with the athletics events beginning next Tuesday. It does, however, clear Roy to compete at this weekend’s National Track and Field Championships in Santry, starting with an appetising clash with Rhasidat Adeleke over 200m on Saturday and then the 100m on Sunday.Roy clocked a best of 22.83 in the US in May, inside the standard (22.85) for the European Championships in Birmingham, which start on August 10th. She also clocked 11.23 for the 100m in May, the fastest by any Irish woman this season. Her 22.83 would have been just short of bronze (22.80) at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.“It’s definitely a blessing in disguise,” she says of her Glasgow omission. “It was definitely a challenge that I was capable of and that I would have been more than willing to accept. But again I’m super excited that now I’m able to be in Ireland and compete at the National Championships this weekend, then set my sights [are] on Birmingham.”Sharlene Mawdsley (centre) on her way to winning the senior women's 200m final ahead of Sarah Lavin and Lauren Roy at last year's National Track and Field Senior Championships at Morton Stadium, Dublin. Photograph: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile Northern Ireland selected just six track and field athletes for Glasgow, including Kate O’Connor in the women’s heptathlon, plus Nick Griggs in the 5,000m. Despite her disappointment at not being selected, Roy says she will still watch.“As an athlete, you’re going to face adversity,” she adds. “So I think being flexible and adaptable is a really good trait to have. It’s in the past and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.“But people also need to understand that it does affect the athletes mentally, especially when this is a competition you spend a few years preparing for. They only come around every four years, But I’m so adaptable that I can just put it behind me and move forward.”Roy has yet to win an Irish senior title. She credits her progress in recent years to her 2022 move from Queen’s University in Belfast to take up a scholarship at the University of Texas at San Antonio, before switching to Tarleton State. She’ll continue to train at her Texas base next season while completing her master’s degree in psychology.With Sharlene Mawdsley also set to move down to the 200m in Santry, it could prove one of the races of the weekend.“It’ll definitely be a good one for the spectators and for the athletes to be able to put on a show. I always have set myself huge goals and I think that double gold is definitely on the cards for me this weekend.”