NATHAN Douglas insists the Tokyo Olympics is still in his sights as he prepares to begin a ‘mini-season’.
The coronavirus pandemic forced the Games to be postponed until July next year – by which time the triple-jumper will be 38.
But the Oxford City AC star continues to eye a third Olympics and plans to compete at the rearranged British Championships in Manchester on September 4 and 5.
His build-up to next month’s event is due to start at a meeting in Nuneaton tomorrow, his first competition since the 2019 Belgian Championships last September.
Douglas is not expecting to be at peak performance, but is looking forward to blowing the cobwebs away.
He said: “From previous experience, triple jump is very rhythmic, so to miss that amount of time can have a real effect.
“It’s not a serious season, so I have a bit more flexibility.
“I’m looking forward to getting out there, having a bit of fun and using it as a springboard.
“The Olympics is still the thought process and it’s why I want to have a mini-season now.
“I’ll get a few competitions in, as things are starting to return to normal.”
The 37-year-old had been building his 2020 season towards an attempt to qualify for the Games, with appearances in Athens in 2004 and Beijing four years later already under his belt.
But once Tokyo was shelved and the European Athletics Championships cancelled, Douglas decided to reset.
He took seven weeks off training and was able to devote more time to his second career, where he works one-on-one with clients to improve their performance.
Douglas added: “There’s positives and negatives. I would have preferred the Olympics to happen this year.
“But it enabled my body to rest and recuperate at a time that we never really get a break.”
Refreshed and back in training, Douglas will not go out of his way to compete ahead of the British Championships.
He said: “I know some athletes are travelling, but it’s still too much of a risk.
“It’s not going to be so much of a change for me to compete locally.”
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