Time for a change in luck – Chris

Jun 14 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

CHRIS Tomlinson is hoping he has finally broken his major championships hoodoo so he can return to his home track with an Olympic medal to show off.

The Nunthorpe long-jumper will be one of the main attractions at the Gateshead Grand Prix on August 31 but he has the small matter of an Olympic Games to deal with first.

That Tomlinson has jumped further than any fifth-place finisher in an Olympics sums up his career. For six years or so he has been expected to transfer undoubted potential into concrete achievement, only to be prevented by freak injuries or disqualification.

Having claimed a silver at February’s World Indoor Championships in Valencia, the 26-year-old hopes his bad luck is behind him.

“I’ve also got the longest jump ever to finish sixth indoors,” he points out. “It does kind of sum up my career. But my luck’s got to change and I’m hoping it’s going to from now on.

“Valencia was a few months ago now, I’ve got to move forward. But as an athlete it was what I needed. I’d shown through my performances I was a global medal contender but never actually achieved anything apart from big jumps here and there.

“To get a global medal was fantastic but I’ve got to use that to move on to the Olympic trials then the Olympic Games, hopefully. It’s just fine tuning the technical elements and I don’t see any reason why I can’t.”

Tomlinson admits his past disappointments have affected him – none more so than his failure to qualify for last year’s World Championships – despite being at the peak of his form. But he hopes they make him stronger.

“You always think when you’re a youngster that life’s always going to work perfectly,” he said. “I came on the scene very quickly and for a few seasons did very well then Gregg (Rutherford) came on the scene, I got injured and I was pretty much kicked into the doldrums and forgotten about. I’ve managed to bring myself back and now I’m in a good position.

“My biggest disappointment was Osaka last year. I was hoping to improve my record and get a medal and I bombed out in qualifying. It hit me really hard but I think I’ve managed to overcome a lot of demons. You’ve got to use experiences like that to make you stronger. ”

TICKETS for the Gateshead Grand Prix, at the International Stadium, are available on 0800 0556056 or www.ukathletics.net.