11th August 2008

Long jumper Chris Tomlinson will be taking his place in Team GB after passing medical and fitness tests, supervised by UK Athletics Medical Team, on Monday morning. The 26-year-old World indoor silver medallist was a doubt for the Beijing Olympics after suffering a tear in his calf muscle at the Crystal Palace Grand Prix on 26 July.

However, following an intensive period of rehabilitation overseen by UK Athletics, he passed a medical test at the Olympic Medical Institute (OMI) at Northwich Park Hospital, London and a fitness test at the UK Athletics West London High Performance Centre at Brunel University on Monday morning. This means he can take his place aboard a flight direct to Beijing from London Heathrow tonight.

Tomilinson was grateful for all the support that he had received from supporting staff, saying: " I’d like to thank the medical staff at the high performance centre in Lee Valley, for all their work, against the odds, to get me to Beijing"

"I’m heading straight out to Beijing, so there will be no hanging around and I’m looking forward to getting into it"

He will arrive in Beijing on Tuesday 12 August, where he is due to compete in the men’s long jump qualifying rounds on Saturday 16 August at the Bird’s Nest Stadium alongside team-mate Greg Rutherford.