Making Malcolm’s fourth place all the more impressive is the fact that he was battling illness in the build-up to the competition, but as the Welshman suggests, he is getting better at managing his creaking body with age.

“I’ve been sick for the last three days so to come out and run I’m happy with that,” he said.

“I’ve not been training for the indoor season so it’s just something I need to work on for the outdoor season really.

“When you get to my age you have to start being smarter with the way you train. You get to a pattern where you can deal with it after a period of time and then you have to change it.

“That’s where I’m at right now just changing it and trying to get used to running and training a certain way. I’m trying to go back to the basics. You start off with the basics and then you do all the hard graft and then you come back and mix the training with the hard graft. At the moment it’s going well.”

Up until the European Championships in 2010, Malcolm had never realised the potential that saw him claim 100m and 200m gold at the World Junior Championships in 1998, but then bagged silver in Barcelona, 12 years later.

33 come Games time, Malcolm is being ruled out by most as a medal contender at the London 2012 Olympics, but the Welsh ace is convinced he can be in the mix-up – provided he gets there first.

“Everyone’s planning for 2012 so I just have to qualify and make the team. That’s the first thing and then just go from there,” he added.

“I always think you have got to get there first, and then anything is possible. I honestly believe that on my day I’m one of the best sprinters in the world. As long as I can get into good shape I will always be aiming high.”

On the Sunday, Nigel Levine put in a season’s best performance to comfotably take the 400m title in what was a very tough field. Luke Lennon-Ford put up a great battle but was always going be tough running from what was very cruel lane draw in lane 1. Next up on track was Gianni Frankis, trained by Tony Jarrett, who came through to take 2nd place in the 60m Hurdles.

The final races of the day saw Laura Turner and Mark Lewis-Francis compete in the final of the 60m. Laura got off to a great start and was only pipped on the line to 3rd place in an impressive 7.31s.

In 2010 he continued his fine form and was part of the bronze medal GB 4x400m team at the World Indoor Championships inDoha. On the back of this success, Nigel was determined to go in to 2011 and pick up his first international individual Gold Medal. Going into the European U23 Championships full of confidence, Nigel managed to defeat a tough field and become European U23 Champion. In what was an action packed season, Nigel also claimed Silver in the 4x400m at the European Indoor Championships and was a key member of the 4x400m relay team at the World Championships in Daegu.

Nigel has started 2012 extremely strongly and looking like one to watch come the summer. Firstly, Winning the 200m at the Birmingham Games, Nigel then went on to reclaim his 400m Aviva UK Indoor Championships title in a season’s best time of 46.58s. Competing for the final time before the World Indoors in Instanbul, Nigel put on another World Class display to finish first at the Aviva Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix breaking his PB in a very impressive time of 45.71s.

Not only talented in Athletics, Nigel used to play Basketball and Cricket to a high standard. He also has a huge passion for cars and bikes and is a qualified car technician.

Nigel is a Mizuno sponsored Athlete.

2008 was a significant year for Richard. He won the UK junior 200m title and was selected as captain of the World Junior team during their campaign in Poland; he also holds every North-east record from the age of 15 upwards over 100m and 200m.

Kilty has achieved 3 Olympic qualifying standard times and is one of Great Britain’s Top sprint prospects for the London 2012 Olympic Games where he will be contesting the 200m, which is his favored event. His personal best time of 20.53 seconds has secured the A standard for selection of the Olympic Games in July.

Richard is now training with Linford Christie In London and believes 2012 will be a big year with big improvements. With the benefit of Linford’s coaching and his new training partners, Richard is aiming to make the Olympic Final and be Britain’s number 1 ranked 200m sprinter.

Outside of athletics, Richard is a big Arsenal FC supporter and his favourite player is Thierry Henry. Not only Football and Athletics, Richard is also a huge Mixed Martial Arts and Boxing Fan. He says his father is his biggest inspiration and supporter in his athletics career, and the person who got him into sprinting. His father was also a professional body builder.

His sporting role models are, Linford Christie, Maurice Greene, Muhammad Ali & Floyd Mayweather.

Richard is a Mizuno sponsored athlete.

Luke-Lennon-Ford – 200m – 21.68s

Rion Pierre – 60m – 6.66s PB

Nigel Levine – 60m – 6.74s -

Laura Turner – 60m – 7.33s SB

Margaret Adeoye – 60m – 7.43s PB

Lucy Onyeforo – 60m – 7.51s PB

Presented by Darren McMullen, the third of six episodes saw magical duo, and reigning champions of the series so far, Barry and Stuart paired with former heavyweight Champion Boxer, David Haye.

For their pre-recorded trick David lit up an unplugged light bulb using the power of magic, before helping Barry and Stuart light up the London sky-line and magically reuniting two old friends.

For their live grand illusion the trio brought the va-va-voom back to magic when Barry and Stuart shed their trade mark suits to bare all, showing just how sexy magicians can be. In their close up magic on the night they turned water into wine.

The 29-year-old missed last summer’s World Championships after rupturing ankle ligaments in a freak training accident in Italy.

But Douglas, who is now back to 70 per cent fitness, believes he can recapture the form that saw him win a European silver medal in 2006.

“Competing in London 2012 has to be my absolute aim,” he said.

“Each year, you always look to get to the major championships.

“At the same time, I don’t just want to compete, I want to be challenging for medals.

“That is how I look at it. I just need to get this ankle right.”

He added: “Last year before my injury, I couldn’t wait for the Olympics and now I am recovering, I am just as positive.

“I’m pushing my team as hard as I am pushing myself.”

Douglas is back doing weights in the gym, but not yet running and jumping at full pelt.

“My strength in the gym is back to normal, which is really positive,” he said.

“The ankle doesn’t look like it is going to be ready for the indoor season, so I will skip that.

“I will look to compete outdoors in May. I need to start my season early as I have not competed since the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

“I want to get out there in May and blow away the cobwebs.

“Rehab is weird because it is one of those things where you take two steps forwards and then one back.”

Having seen other British athletes, including Oxford City clubmate Hannah England, rise to prominence in the last couple of years, Douglas is happy to be now be coming under the radar.

But he will have to hit the ground running in 2012,a with the Olympic trials taking place in June, the week before the European Championships in Helsinki.

He added: “I am probably a bit of a dark horse for the Olympics and that is fine. I don’t mind that.

“There is more pressure on other people, but I am putting so much pressure on myself to make it back again.

“I am really looking forward to it. I have been able to make major championships in the past when I am half-fit, so I can take confidence from that.”

A host of celebrities attended the event and shopped til they dropped for the good cause, including Linford Christie OBE, Peter Andre, Tamsin Outhwaite, Gail Porter, Nicola McLean, chef Aldo Zilli, TOWIE’s Debbie Bright and TV presenter, Kirsten O’Brien.

Linford was able to browse the store and took home a number of gifts for his children.

The yearly event sees the Disney Store donate ten per cent of sales on the evening to the charity.

Transmitting in the run-up to London 2012, this 11×30-minute series is filmed at Scotland’s state-of-the-art Ravenscraig sports centre, and will see four teams of four young athletes from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run, jump, shoot, paddle and ride their way to become the Ultimate Sports Day champions.

Hosted by Ore Oduba (BBC Sport and CBBC’s Newsround presenter), each episode will test the teams’ sports skills through a series of specially devised “Ultimate Events” such as the breathtaking Skywalker and the bouncy Bungee Basketball.

Sourced with the help of the Youth Sports Trust, the young athletes’ stories will have their progress followed from their first sports trial through to the two finals and the crowning of the winning team.

All four teams will be mentored by some of Britain’s biggest sporting stars: decathlete Dean Macey for the England team; seven times British Champion Ice Dancer Sinead Kerr for Scotland; Team GB sprinter Christian Malcolm will be flying the flag for Wales; while Northern Ireland are being led by former World Featherweight Boxing Champion Barry McGuigan. The mentors and the contestants will all be competing under the watchful eye of top sports professor and trainer Greg Whyte – who guided Eddie Izzard and David Walliams in their running and swimming marathons for Sport Relief.

As well as the mentors, the series will feature a host of top sports talent including Team GB Olympian Triple Jumper Phillips Idowu, current men’s gymnastics star Louis Smith, former Team GB heptathlete and current 400 metres runner Kelly Sotherton and Winter Olympics gold medalist Amy Williams.

Ore Oduba says: “Ultimate Sports Day is a wonderful opportunity for elite sports stars to help and showcase young people in sport.

“This is about celebrating young sports stars and testing their mettle to see what it takes to be the best. These competitors are some of the finest young athletes the nation has to offer but it’s not just about their sporting ability. The challenges are designed to test their minds and temperaments as well as their ability to work as a team to see if they have what it takes to taste Olympic glory in the future.”

Ultimate Sports Day is currently in production in Scotland and will premiere on CBBC early 2012 – to coincide with the run-up to the Olympics

There were 80 graduates who donned gowns and mortar boards and gathered at Coventry Cathedral to collect their certificates.

More than 100 others have successfully completed courses at the college in Swanswell Street, Coventry city centre, but couldn’t come to the ceremony.

Sharron said: “I always like giving things away and handing out the certificates is nice because it’s the culmination of such a lot of hard work.”

Being guest of honour at the ceremony wasn’t her first visit to Coventry. She first came to the city aged just nine for her first national swimming championships where she won a bronze medal.

She said: “I was so proud to win it I put it under my pillow and slept with it there.”

She gave a motivational speech to the graduates and their families before presenting the certificates.

Earlier on in the day the top achieving students in each subject were honoured at the college annual awards, also in the cathedral.

Thousands of nominations were made when Lloyds TSB invited the public to nominate Torchbearers for the Olympic Torch Relay in its recent nationwide campaign. Whilst the Olympic Torch Relay nomination campaign is now closed, Lloyds TSB is extending the opportunity to be a Torchbearer through its support of the Paralympic Torch Relay.

Nominations are being sought from all corners of the UK, with the public being called upon to recognise the people who have inspired and supported people with disability and made a difference in their community. Anyone can be a Paralympic Torchbearer whether they are disabled or not. Whether it is a disabled person who has achieved personal success, the teacher who removes barriers to include pupils with a disability in sport, the family member who cares for someone with a disability or the friend who’s raised thousands of pounds for charities that support and empower disabled people, Lloyds TSB is inviting everyone to nominate someone to carry the Paralympic Flame with successful Torchbearers working in teams of five to carry the Flame on its journey to the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

To mark the launch of its Paralympic Torch Relay nomination campaign, Lloyds TSB has commissioned a set of striking images featuring inspirational Paralympians and future stars of ParalympicsGB together with the people who have supported and inspired them.

Jason Smyth, double Paralympic Gold Medallist in the 100m & 200m T13 at Beijing, was one of the inspirational Paralympians to support the campaign.

Trey began his career working on MTV Asia where he became a household name. He fronted many of the channels flagship shows including By Demand – for which he received The Best Presenter Award at the Asian Television Awards. With Asia ‘sewn up’ it was time to move on.

Trey moved to London and instantly started working for MTV Europe. Looking to expand his experience he became one of the presenters on the BBC’s Live & Kicking. More diversity followed in the form of light entertainment on Channel 4’s superhero game show Zero to Hero, and the BBC’s Masters Of Combat; sports on BBC’s Grandstand and travel on National Geographic’s Chasing Time.

Alongside his work as a TV presenter, Trey has recently moved into acting. Most notably in the smash hit Bend It Like Beckham and the soon to be released The Run.

Katy is currently writing a refreshingly honest parenting blog on the hugely popular online women’s magazine i-village, as well as specific articles for them on parenting. She has written for many high profile magazines including Cosmopolitan, Conde Nast, and Hello. A proud mum of two young children, Katy is passionate about parenting and realises the pressure of being a hands on parent, whilst juggling a career and maintaining your sanity.

Katy is a regular on ITV’s Daybreak, both in the studio and on location and was chosen to present the show from the sofa between Christmas and New Year (2010).

Her natural beauty and down to earth approach to life make her a great brand ambassador and she has been the spokesperson and face of international brand, Arm & Hammer Toothpaste since 2006. Katy has been resigned to the brand through to 2014 by which point she will have fronted 6 successful TV commercials and helped to launch and establish the brand in the UK.

Katy became a household name in the UK fronting the world’s longest-running magazine show Blue Peter for the BBC. She made such an impact in her 6 years that on her final show, the BBC received a record response from viewers voting to see their favourite Katy clip. She went on to host further shows for the channel, including Best Inventions (so successful it got picked up in the states as ABC’s American Inventor), the world-famous chart show Top of the Pops and the award-winning Holiday where her love of globetrotting shone through as she road-tested everything from Five Star luxury to Mongolian Yurts with no running water or toilet!

Katy became the first woman ever to front a UK Network Radio Chart Show when she took over the mic for the UK’s biggest – Hit 40 UK. She quickly became renowned for getting the best out of the stars due to her down to earth, frank and warm approach.
Her ease with celebrity interviews is evident – whether chatting with the British Prime Minister, talking music with Usher, or life, loves and influences with Jim Carey. From red carpet, to junkets, to interviews in stars homes – her warm style brings out the best in celebrities. On radio she has also produced and fronted successful shows on Capital FM, London.

Katy is someone Producers know they can depend on, which is why she’s been chosen to anchor many live events of a sensitive nature, including the Tsunami Appeal UK Radio Aid for ITV and backstage at Live 8. Katy thrives in front of live audiences and has hosted big events such as The Bafta’s and the 2012 Olympic Party in London’s Trafalgar Square to a live audience of 200,000 and worldwide TV audience of billions.

Katy’s reputation as someone who will “have a go” at anything started on Blue Peter where she jumped out of planes, became the first civilian to fly a full display with the Royal Air Force’s aerobatics display team The Red Arrows, and got her Touring Car racing licence. She was the star of Channel 4′s “Celebrity Olympics” show The Games where she emphasized her love of sport and impressed the nation with her sporting prowess! Katy has a passion for speed, whether on the ground or in the air and has flown the Hawk, Harrier and Tornado jets for the BBC’s world-famous science show – Tomorrow’s World.

The Newport-born 100m and 200m runner was at the Cardiff International Sports Stadium to launch the award in Wales. Christian is a former World Junior Championships double gold medallist and won Bronze in last year’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi. He will be competing for the UK as part of Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.

Christian knows how important these unsung heroes are to keeping local sport alive. He credits his own unsung hero Jock Anderson – his first sprints coach – with helping kick-off his phenomenal sporting career.

“He really believed that this boy from Newport could be one of the best sprinters in the world and he took me to those levels,” says Christian. “Jock coached Newport Harriers and he also coached my older cousin, the world class sprinter Kevin Williams and took quite a lot of guys to high levels in the sport.

“I wouldn’t say I was a bad boy when I was younger but Jock really helped keep me focused with the little talks he would give me. He’s the kind of person who doesn’t mix his words, so when he says something you really do take note.”

BBC Sports Unsung Hero is one of the categories at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards, which will be held at MediaCityUK in Salford on 22 December. The Unsung Hero Award recognises and rewards outstanding contribution by individuals at the grassroots level of local sport and is now in its ninth year.

A winner is chosen in each BBC English Region and in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and the Wales Unsung Hero winner will be announced in early December. Each winner then gets the chance to join the sporting stars of today at BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011 where the overall BBC Sports Unsung Hero winner is announced.

Across the UK people are invited to nominate someone who has made a difference to their community through sport.

Nominations should be made for people who go the extra mile to change the lives of others through sport and who deserve to be recognised for their selfless work on the part of others.

Nominees should be people who, on a voluntary basis, prepare facilities, roll the pitch, coach the juniors, run local sports leagues or work behind the scenes so that sport can be played and enjoyed by people throughout the UK.

Once the nomination process has been completed, a shortlist of nominees in each area is chosen by a panel made up of BBC regional and nations’ sports staff, local sporting figures and other independent community figures, with a winner being picked by that judging panel.

Last year’s overall winner for Wales was Lisa Jones, Junior football coach from Penydarren Boys & Girls Football Club in Merthyr. She has been coaching for eight years and coaches three teams in her spare time, working with over 100 children per week. “A true inspiration to all who know her, children love her, she never puts herself first and is always thinking of others,” said her nominee for the award.

Geoff Williams, BBC Wales Head of Sport says: “Unsung Hero is one of the key awards in the sporting year in Wales, and it is always a privilege to shine the spotlight on people who work so hard, often for decades, on behalf of others. This is a chance for their valiant and valuable efforts to be recognised.”

Barbara Slater, Director of BBC Sport, says: “The BBC is delighted to recognise the important, and often unheralded, work of those whose selfless efforts so often shape the sporting success and enjoyment of so many different individuals and teams.

“The BBC Sports Unsung Hero awards are important because they celebrate the commitment, enthusiasm and energy of people up and down the country who give something back to their community through sport.”

Nominations for the BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award 2011 can be made at bbc.co.uk/sportwales and bbc.co.uk/newyddion using a printable form.

There is also a low-cost phone number people can call to request nomination forms – 03703 500 700. Standard geographic charges from landlines and mobiles will apply and calls may be recorded for training. The line is available between 9.30am and 7.30pm Monday – Friday.

Nomination forms are also available from BBC Local Radio stations and from BBC Wales in Cardiff and Bangor. Nominations can be made up until midnight on Sunday 30 October.

Social media is also playing a greater role in this year’s BBC Sports Unsung Hero campaign. A dedicated Facebook page has been created at www.facebook.com/BBCSportUnsungHero and information and updates will also be posted on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Twitter feed @BBCSPOTY.

BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011 will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD on 22 December

Head coach of UK Athletics, Charles van Commenee: He’s had his ups and down but it’s very difficult to say that Charles isn’t doing a good job. We saw with the performances at the European Championships in Barcelona that the athletes are taking on board his ways.

Love him or hate him, he’s managed to get the athletes concentrating on what’s important.

When you represent Great Britain the focus has to be on competing and making finals. We have traditionally been a strong force in athletics and maybe we’d lost our a way a bit, but the tough love that he’s introduced to the squad is paying off.

I’m sure Charles knows that a successful World Championships with lots of the athletes making finals and hopefully a good number of medals will give GB some momentum for next season which we know will be a massive one.

The Daegu dress rehearsal promises to be mouthwatering with some intriguing contests and plenty of opportunities for Team GB to do well.

Before the Aviva Grand Prix meeting at Crystal Palace earlier this month, I would have bet my house on Asafa Powell who has been the form sprinter, running a full tenth of a second faster than Bolt this season.

But he was forced to pull out with a groin injury so now things are up in the air again. We all know that in the major championships he’s been unable to keep his nerve, costing him not just the win but medal places too.

For the first time, though, he’s started to admit to that he’s been be a bit fragile in the big competitions. I believe the first step to him recovering his confidence is facing up to his limitations, so look for a major improvement in Korea.

If Asafa can get over his groin niggle injury and get his head right then he is definitely someone who can challenge Bolt (as far-fetched as that sounds) because for the first time in about four years Bolt himself is looking a little fragile.

He missed most of last season with a back problem which has affected him. From experience I know that when returning from injury the hardest thing to do is find consistency out of the blocks.

As we have seen so far this season, his starts have been shaky. He will have cut back on the heavy weightlifting needed to help with explosive power at the start of the race.

Bolt’s start isn’t the most important part of his race – we know once he’s up and running he’s phenomenal – but if he hasn’t got the rhythm that he would like in the first 30m it affects the last part of his race.

This is why we’re seeing tension in the last 60m. He doesn’t seem that comfortable. In the past we’ve been used to seeing him get out of the blocks at the same time as the other guys.

Bolt has had three weeks of training to iron out his problems and find to find that rhythm again. In the meantime Asafa Powell waits in the wings.

110m hurdles: This will be a three-way contest between Cuban world record holder Dayron Robles, China’s Lu Xiang and fastest hurdler this year, David Oliver of the USA. This promises to be a fantastic race. If the athletes are able to go in with no injuries than it’ll be between these three for sure.

Our own Andy Turner will find it difficult to compete but this is a unique event. Andy has to be focused on his own race. If he makes the final he has to believe he can get close to those guys and pick up any pieces if anyone drops off. This is hurdling. People can crash and fall over.

400m hurdles: This event could be a huge, huge indicator of where Dai Greene is headed. He has had a great season so far. On the Diamond League circuit he’ has managed to beat all of the big names and he’s been magnificent. It’s just a case of him holding his nerve and not changing anything.

Going into the UK trials he picked up a virus so I just hope he can shake that off, get some good training and push on. Confidence-wise I don’t think there’s a problem there.

He knows what it takes to win and he’s got a good team behind him lead by coach Malcolm Arnold who helped me early on in my career.

In the trials Dai ran in the 400m in order to test his endurance and flat speed. That was a great idea and just shows how meticulous his preparation has been.

I’ve felt for the last 18 months that Dai could be someone who could surprise everybody at the London Games, but who knows? He might peak a bit earlier in these championships and come home with gold. He will have done the work. It could be his time.

In the women’s event we have the brilliant Perri-Shakes Drayton who performed so well in the UK Championships and trials.

The extra work she had to put in to win those 400m and 400m hurdles finals will have been great preparation for Daegu. She had to work extremely hard and she can be confident that can win a medal.

400m: Unfortunately our boys aren’t really cutting it in this event, which is disappointing. You’ve got to give credit to Martyn Rooney though.

He entered the UK trials having only trained for a month and won the final so he fully deserves his place on the team. Realistically, he’ll do well to make the final given the little amount of preparation he’s had.

He has big-competition experience but has he got the endurance to get through the rounds? With the likes of LaShawn Merritt and 18-year-old Grenadan Kirani James in the field, I think probably not.

Mo Farah: At the moment we’re not sure if he’ll double up in the 5000m and 10000m, but he’s moved on after his European victories in Barcelona, moved to Portland, Oregon to train with Alberto Salazar, and become the world No1.

It has been truly fantastic to see him develop and be able to not only challenge, but to beat the competition.

At this moment in time he looks like he has all the tools to beat anybody in any circumstance and I for one can’t wait to see him run in front of his home crowd in London.

Victory in Daegu against the Kenyans and Ethiopians would certainly justify the sacrifices he’s made.

Long jump: we’re looking at two medallists in Greg Rutherford and Chris Tomlinson, two top British athletes who are going head-to-head and driving each other on to beat the best in the world. I think if they can get it right they’ll do well in Daegu.

Philips Idowu: He’ll be hugely, hugely disappointed if he doesn’t win the world champs, especially since his main rival, Frenchman Teddy Tamgo is missing through injury. He really does need to put recent controversies behind him and go and consolidate his number one status.

Tiffany Porter: has performed so well in the Diamond League. She’s a genuine medal prospect in the 100m hurdles.

Jenny Meadows: a fantastic athlete and a fantastic ambassador for the sport. This could finally be her time to win a gold medal in the 800m.

Relays: Difficult. We have to put the right athletes on the right legs. When runners are placed where they aren’t comfortable then there are problems.

A lot of the sprinters will be under pressure, especially since our luck with the baton has been missing recently in the bigger competitions.

Future funding often depends on how sprinters fare in the relay, so they will want to get this right and challenge the Americans and Jamaicans. Remember they have the potential to drop the baton too. Anything can happen.

Darren Campbell is an ambassador for Aviva, the No 1 sponsor of British athletes since 1999.

It’s 13 years since Cardiff AAC sprinter Malcolm – then just 19 – claimed his first major senior medal, just a few weeks after he was crowned a double world junior champion, at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

He didn’t return to a major championship podium in an individual event until last year’s European Championships, winning silver behind France’s Christophe Lemaitre in Barcelona.

And, after following that with a bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, he hopes that like mentor Linford Christie, sprinting life can begin at 30.

“I’m perhaps more nervous than I ever have been before,” said Malcolm, who is currently preparing for the World Championships in the heat, humidity and rain of Ulsan, South Korea, at a training camp funded by Aviva – supporters of British athletes since 1999.

“I’ve been doing this for a while now and you can go out there and say I am going to do this, I’m going to medal or whatever.

“But I have been to so many champs that you just don’t know what is going to happen.

“I have been to champs where you have gone in ranked 20th or 30th in the world and I have come out fifth.

“And I have gone to some where I expected to do well and haven’t.

“I ran my fastest time for 10 years this year over the 100 metres so that shows that the speed is there.

“I have got some technical things to work on in the 200, but I am quietly confident inside and there is no pressure on me.

“While this Aviva-funded preparation camp has also been an essential part of my preparation and selection for the GB & NI team – it has helped pave the way for me to achieve my dreams in Daegu and then on to London as well.”

One name dominates Malcolm’s 200m event, but, while stopping short of claiming Usain Bolt is there for the taking, he knows the world record holder is not looking as unstoppable as he did in Beijing and Berlin.

“If there is one thing I have learned it is that the favourite doesn’t always win,” he added.

“Everyone always goes on about Usain Bolt and this year he is not having a particularly good year by his very high standards.

“I think it is more about injury than anything else because he seems hungrier than ever, but he has been unfortunate with injuries and they come to us all.”

Malcolm, one of the most popular and approachable members of the British athletics set-up, has been named team captain in Daegu.

It’s a largely ceremonial role, but one that carries a few responsibilities.

And, if he was nervous about taking his place in the blocks, he’s petrified of public speaking.

“I’ve got to make a speech and I am getting some stick for it already, people are winding me up saying ‘don’t embarrass us,’” he said.

“I’ve always been the joker in the group and the one to give other people problems, so it is time for revenge.”

n Christian Malcolm has been selected for the Aviva GB & NI team and is at an Aviva-funded preparation camp in Ulsan, Korea. Aviva’s support, both at home and abroad, is helping the team prepare to compete at their best. To find out more, go to aviva.co.uk/athletics or follow us on Twitter @AvivaAthletics

Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sports/athletics-news/2011/08/24/nerves-keeping-malcolm-on-his-toes-for-daegu-91466-29291133/#ixzz1W1miS2Gf

Strachan, coached by former Olympic 100m champion Linford Christie, is ranked sixth in the UK over 400m this season but is one of eight names selected for the 4x400m relay team in Daegu.

Olympic finalist Martyn Rooney is considered a lock for one of the four available places while one lap hurdler Dai Greene should also feature.

That leaves the others fighting it out for two available places and Strachan, who ran a personal best of 45.70 seconds in Slovakia earlier this season, admits it will be tough to earn selection.

“I’m really pleased to be out here,” said Strachan – speaking from a training camp in Ulsan, funded by Aviva who have been supporting British athletes since 1999.

“I was really disappointed at first to miss out on an individual spot. It was unfortunate because I ran three B standards but because nobody ran the A standard then that meant I couldn’t get an individual spot.

“I didn’t have a great run at the trials but I’m really happy to be here in the relay team and I cannot wait to get out there next week and run.

“The individual is absolutely out of my head and long gone now until next year and when I get back into winter training.

“But hopefully the performances I have done throughout the season should put me into that top four and if it’s a run off in the heats for a place in the final then hopefully I’ll be able to deliver a good enough performance then.”

It is 20 years since Great Britain famously won the 4x400m world title in Tokyo with a quartet that included Olympic medallists Roger Black and Kriss Akabusi.

Those were golden days for one lap running in the UK but only one athlete, Rooney, will feature in the individual 400m in Korea next week.

But Strachan – a relay silver medallist at the European Indoor Championship in Paris earlier in the year – remains optimistic about the team’s medal chances, following their silver, albeit with a much stronger quartet, two years ago.

“I’d really like to get a medal in the 4x400m,” he added. “It’s not the best team we’ve ever had but it’s a team with a lot of depth.

“However, at the front end it’s not the strongest, so a couple of us will have to step up and raise our game to be involved with the medals.

“My focus is fully on that right now. Getting on the podium at the European indoors helped me because I was out with a hamstring tear last year and I barely ran at all apart from at local league level.

“This is a completely different ball game from that but it was a great feeling to win a medal in the relay.”

Richard Strachan has been selected for the Aviva GB&NI Team and is at an Aviva funded preparation camp in Ulsan, Korea.