Golden chance for British athletes to shine in London

IN just over a week’s time the eyes of the world will be firmly fixed on London as the 2012 Olympics burst into life.

At the moment, most people seem to be talking more aboutsecurity issues and coach drivers with no sense of direction rather than the sport itself.

Of course it less than seven days until the football gets underway at the Millennium Stadium but the feeling is that the Olympics only officially start when the opening ceremony takes place next Friday.

Despite all of the well-publicised teething problems and organising hitches, the 29^th Olympiad promises to be a spectacular celebration of sporting prowess – though the rain may have a big say too!

The two weeks plus of competition should also be a good one for Great Britain (yes, Northern Ireland is included in that) with the fact that the games are in this country are worth a couple of extra medals alone.

I don’t confess to being an expert on handball, shooting or synchronised swimming but I do know a little bit about athletics and am confident that Team GB (that will be the first and last time I use that) can excel on home turf.

For what it’s worth, here are my predictions for British golden glory in track and field.

MEN’S 400M HURDLES

DAI GREENE will win a medal and I reckon he can get gold, despite losing to rival Javier Culson in the last couple of races in the build-up to the Olympics. We know he’s a championship performer having already become European, Commonwealth and world champion over the last three seasons and, providing he doesn’t give the Puerto Rican, or anyone else for that matter, more than a two-metre lead with 50 to go he has the finish to come through.

I’m sure Lynn Davies is even getting a bit tired of being the last Welshman to win an Olympic athletics gold medal. It’s Welsh athletics' equivalent of the Welsh rugby team’s drought against the All Blacks.

MEN’S 5000M/10000M

I’ve been watching athletics for at least 24 years and never in that time has the UK had someone who can go toe-to-toe with the Africans in the long distance races – but now we do.

MO FARAH, like Greene, has also become a world-class performer and I feel he can win at least one gold medal in either the 5k or 10k. Who knows, maybe he can follow in the footsteps of Emil Zatopek and Lasse Viren and win both.

Farah’s devastating kick finish is likely to be the key to his chances of coming out on top in London. In the last few years it has helped him take three European and a world title.

HEPTATHLON

Perhaps the athlete under the most pressure to bring home the bacon for Great Britain is JESSICA ENNIS in the heptathlon. Held up as the poster girl for the Olympics, Ennis will be competing at her first games with so much expectation on her shoulders.

If she does have an off day or two in the heptathlon, Ennis is also entered in the women’s sprint hurdles and I wouldn’t bet against her even making the final of that event given her brilliant form this year.

WOMEN’S 400M HURDLES

Until last weekend I must admit I thought PERRI SHAKES-DRAYTON would do well to scrape a bronze but after her massive personal best and new national record at Crystal Palace she is now a contender for the gold.

MEN’S HIGH JUMP

Had you asked me who ROBBIE GRABARZ was this time last year I wouldn’t have had a clue but the high jumper has enjoyed a meteoric rise this year with a huge PB of 2.36 and a European Championship gold to his name. Germaine Mason surprised everyone in Beijing by winning silver and there’s no reason why Grabarz can’t go one better.

WOMEN’S 400M

Reigning 400m champion CHRISTINE OHURUOGU seems to be coming into top form at just the right time, as she did in China in 2008. Sanya Richards-Ross will again be the favourite this time but I just have this feeling that she is destined never to win the gold and Ohuruogu, a championship performer, could well snatch it from under the American’s nose once more.

OTHER GB TRACK & FIELD MEDAL HOPES

TRIPLE JUMP – If – and it’s a very, very big if – PHILLIPS IDOWU can hold off his injury demons for a couple of jumps, he can win gold. On a good day, YAMILE ALDAMA could too in the women’s event although Ukraine’s Olga Saladuha is the athlete to beat.

LONG JUMP – There are medal chances for our men and women here with both GREG RUTHERFORD and CHRIS TOMLINSON podium possibles. And with no-one in the men’s long jump setting the world alight to say the least, the two men could have a golden opportunity to stake a claim for first prize. The same is true of SHARA PROCTOR who has recorded some big jumps this summer and can’t be overlooked for bronze, silver or even gold.

WOMEN’S POLE VAULT – British record holder HOLLY BLEASDALE has also had a rapid rise to the top and is one of the best performers in her event right now.

WOMEN’S JAVELIN – I’m probably tempting fate here but I’m including GOLDIE SAYERS in my list of medal hopes but only because she has come into form at the right time. She has often promised much but failed time again though.

RELAYS – I don’t care if the men get the baton round in the sprint relay, Great Britain still don’t have a hope of getting a medal. Well, actually, only if they run a perfect race and others mess up then perhaps but there are too many teams out there who are simply quicker than them. However, there is a medal up for grabs for the men in the 4X400M RELAY and they have a good pool of runners to choose from, including Dai Greene, Jack Green and Rhys Williams from the hurdles.

By David Williams