Nathan Douglas says it is great to be back on the international stage after receiving his first call-up since last year’s Commonwealth Games.

The 32-year-old Oxford City AC triple jumper will compete for Great Britain & Northern Ireland at the European Athletics Team Championships in Cheboksary, Russia, on June 20-21.

It will be the first time Douglas has pulled on an international vest since the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last August where he qualified for the final despite having a fracture in his back.

The injury only added to the frustrations already surrounding Douglas’s career, after he was forced to miss the London 2012 Olympic Games with a thigh injury and most of 2011 after damaging ankle ligaments.

  • Sport

However, after making a winning start to the season at the Bedford International Games on May 31 with a leap of 16.55m, Douglas is in good spirits.

“It is great to be in the GB team,” he said.

“Everyone is aware the last few years have been difficult, so to get back in there is great.

“The aim of the season is to get out there and see where I am at.

“To go to Bedford in fairly poor conditions was OK and I felt in fairly good shape and that I could go further, but I was not able to.

“I am going to the European Team Championships with a bit of extra confidence and to enjoy myself.”

Douglas, who is ranked second in the country, missed last weekend’s Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix to concentrate on the championships in Russia.

After coming through the Bedford outing injury free, Douglas believes his form will improve over the course of the year.

He continued: “A 16.55 was around the minimum I wanted to come away with.

“It was more in the way I jumped and how it looked and I don’t feel I am too far away from jumping fairly well.

“It was nice coming away completely healthy.

“I feel good at the moment – I am staying healthy and being patient with my competition.”

Lawrence Clarke, from Christmas Common, near Watlington, has also been selected for this month’s championships and will compete in the 110m hurdles.