European Indoor triple jump champion Phillips Idowu has confirmed his participation at the Norwich Union London Grand Prix this summer.

The London based athlete finished second in front of a sell-out crowd at the Crystal Palace event last year, and the presence of the British number one is a major boost to the UK Athletics event on August 3, for which tickets go on sale today.

Idowu won gold at the European Indoor Championships in Birmingham last month with a championship record of 17.56m, to lead the world rankings.

Now the 28-year-old, who also clinched gold at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, wants to maintain his winning ways in front of a home crowd at Crystal Palace.

Idowu, who is now based at the new Lee Valley Athletics Centre in North London, said: “Last year I finished second at the Norwich Union London Grand Prix, so this year I’ve set my sights on going one better.

“I’m really excited about competing in London again. It’s a superb competition and the strong support from the crowd is a great confidence booster.”

With the World Championships taking place in Osaka just three weeks after the Crystal Palace meet, Idowu believes a strong performance at the Norwich Union London Grand Prix is vital to his aspirations on the world stage.

“This year has been great so far, now I need to prove I’m capable of staying at the top. The World Championships have to be a key target and I’d love to win a medal there.

“The Crystal Palace meeting will be my last chance to show the British public that I’m in medal-winning form,” he added.

To buy tickets for this event, or any of the other UK Athletics outdoor events this Summer click here.