26 June 2009

Olympic silver medallist Phillips Idowu is on a mission for a gold medal at the World Championships this summer – and that is his focus as he prepares for the Aviva World Trials & UK Championships in Birmingham

Idowu said: “The World Championships are in less than two months time and I want to get to Berlin in the best possible form and come home with a medal. There’s no reason I can’t win the gold, so that is what I have to focus on at the Aviva Trials; my end goal of a World Championship medal.”

At the Aviva Trials, taking place at the Birmingham Alexander Stadium, Idowu will once again find himself against Larry Achike and Nathan Douglas, both of whom he defeated at last year’s event by setting a new season’s best of 17.58m and cementing his ranking as number one in the world. This year, Idowu is looking for a repeat performance when he lines up in three weeks time.

“This season, I’ve already shown what I am capable of, so there’s no reason I can’t go out there in Birmingham and win again with a really big performance. I’ve jumped 17.60m twice this season already and I’m in the sort of shape where I can do that again."

A knee injury over the winter meant Idowu was unable to compete in the indoor season and so missed out on the chance to retain the European Indoor Championship title he won at the Birmingham NIA back in 2007. Now splitting his time between London and Birmingham, Idowu has already shown great promise for what lies ahead this summer.

Victory at his season opener in Crete earlier this month, with a hop, skip and jump of 17.60m, showed he had regained the form he enjoyed last year and even his second place finish at the European Team Championships last weekend showed has not affected his game plan, as he looks to secure his first outdoor world title.

He said: “I know what it’s like to be the best in the world, and so I just have to concentrate on what I’m doing to get there again. I don’t look at what everyone else is doing and I don’t let that worry me. I know what I’ve got to do and I have to focus on myself.”

The Aviva World Trials & UK Championships is part organised by Birmingham City Council and supported by Marketing Birmingham.  

The Championships take place at The Birmingham Alexander Stadium on 10, 11 and 12 July. Tickets can be purchased online at www.uka.org.uk and by phone on 0800 055 60 56.