Chris Tomlinson - Remaining Injury-Free Can Make Me "Unstoppable" at London 2012

Chris Tomlinson, Britain’s leading long-jumper, has warned his rivals that he will be at his very best at next summer’s Olympic Games after suffering injury heartache at the final of the World Championships in September.

Tomlinson was in impressive form heading into the event at Daegu. He had reclaimed the British record with a Personal Best leap of 8.35m in July and had seen significant progress in all aspects of his jumping.

The 30-year-old from Middlesborough eased into the final in South Korea only for a knee injury to thwart his bid for a World Championship title. To make matters worse, his record leap in July would have been enough to claim a silver medal.

While Tomlinson is understandably disappointed by his showing in Daegu, he is very much focusing on what has ultimately been a season of positive development.

“I was jumping well when I got to the final and then I got injured, but you don’t get any marks for that,” Tomlinson, a veteran of two Olympic Games, points out.

“As a season, I have progressed tremendously. My average jump is longer and my PB has gone up again. My technique is constantly improving and it is those positives I need to focus on.”

Tomlinson admits he has done a lot of reflecting on what he describes as a “car crash final” in South Korea and he is fully convinced he will be the man to beat at London 2012 if he can remain fit and healthy.

“There certainly were negatives at the ‘Worlds’,” he continued. “I did hurt myself and I need to make sure, over the next 11 months leading up to the Olympics, that I string together injury-free training.

“Ultimately that’s the one thing I need to do. After four months of continuous training, I’ve shown I can be among the best in the world. If I can do it for nine months, I believe I could be unstoppable.

“Injury has been the only thing holding me back now.”

The prospect of being “unstoppable” at next summer’s Olympics is the primary ambition for Tomlinson, particularly as a British athlete.

However, perhaps surprisingly, he is not giving much thought to London 2012 just yet, preferring to concentrate on the “stepping stones” leading to the showpiece event.

“I’m excited but, believe it or not, I’m trying not to think about it,” Tomlinson states. “I’m taking each day as it comes by using the stepping stones I set out for myself leading up to next summer.

“When I made the decision in 2008 after Beijing to move coaches, move to London and completely change my life, it was part of the gradual steps to London,” he explains.

“It was all about improving in the years leading up to 2012; my technique, my jumps and my overall performances. My mental strength has also significantly improved.”

Tomlinson is not underestimating the importance of psychological stability at what is undoubtedly the pinnacle of any athlete’s career, especially when competing in front of the home fans and the added intensity that will inevitably bring.

“There is going to be extra pressure and extra scrutiny, there’s no doubt about that,” he says. “We all want British athletes to win Olympic medals and in particular golds.

“It’s not necessarily about the minor medals, we all know that.  I’ve got a World Indoor silver and a European bronze. I’ve made finals of World and Olympic championships, but it’s about being a champion.

“We all want to win medals but no-one remembers who finished runner-up. We remember the champions and that is what we all need to be aiming for.”

Tomlinson hopes to compete in at least one more competitive event before next summer’s “Big One” and is eyeing either the World Indoor Championships or the European Championships as his final warm-up.

However, an extended, injury-free training programme is the top priority, which Tomlinson believes will hold the key to Olympic glory.

“I would like to do another championships before the Olympics but the most important thing is to put together some good months of training,” he added.

“Before the ‘Worlds’ in Daegu, I was progressing really well and I want to quickly get back to that level and then move forward.”

Should Tomlinson do precisely that and eradicate his injury frustration, it would be difficult to argue against his ambition of becoming a genuine British gold medal contender.

Olympic British athlete Chris Tomlinson stars in a new Cadbury Dairy Milk advert for its Keep Singing Keep Team GB Pumped campaign, as part of its London 2012 Olympic Games sponsorship, which aims to get the nation singing along to show their support for Team GB. For more information visit http://keepourteampumped.com/

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