ATHAN Douglas believes he can reach the Olympic final in August, but is keeping his feet on the ground.

The Oxford City triple-jumper is cautiously optimistic for the season ahead and will forego a lot of competitive action to peak in Beijing.

But Douglas has yet to recover fully from a serious injury he suffered at the IAAF Grand Prix in Madrid last July.

He said: "It has been quite a struggle for me since last summer because I had a grade-three hamstring tear.

"I'm probably going to miss the indoor season, although I will compete in the AAAs, and see how it's going after that.

"I would like to make the final in Beijing, but we'll have to see.

"It is hard to say how well I'm training because I have had to be careful about what the hamstring can take."

Douglas will return to action in the indoor AAAs in Sheffield on Saturday, but has already ruled out competing in the World Indoor Championships in March.

"Sheffield will be a chance to dust off the cobwebs," said Douglas.

"No matter how things are going, I expect to go back into training and focus on the Olympics.

"I think normally I would do the indoor season, but with the Olympics coming up, I don't want to risk anything.

"I'm only 25, so I have got plenty of years left, but there's only a few OIympics you can compete in.

"I should still be around for 2016."

Douglas competed in the Athens Olympics in 2004 after making an impressive breakthrough that year.

In 2005, he set his personal best of 17.64m at the World Championship Trials in Manchester, but then failed to reach the final in Helsinki.

The following year, Douglas leapt to silver in the European Championships, a feat he matched in the 2007 European Indoor Championships.

Douglas is based and trains in Birmingham, but has just returned from warm weather training with the Great Britain squad in Potchefstroom, South Africa.

"I had all my medical staff there with me, plus good weather and good facilities," he said.

"Hopefuly it has helped me a lot."

What sort of shape is Douglas in?

He said: "My power is really good and technically it's going OK.

"That's when it's really tested, when you are pushing your hamstring and doing a session at full speed.

"The speed is a little bit down, which is to be expected because of the injury.

"If I had to put a figure on it, I would say I'm 80 to 90 per cent fit."

Drugs - and more particularly missed drugs tests - have been a big issue in British athletics with the Christine Ohuorogu affair attracting massive attention last year.

Douglas accepts this has not been good for the sport, but says he has always planned well to avoid missing tests.

"My diary has been 'on point' from day one," he said.

"I know where I am at any moment in time.

"There has been a lot of bad press about, saying how hard is it not to miss a test.

"How many times do your plans change in one day?

"You've just got to be on your toes.

"If I get a puncture on my car on my way to training, I am thinking about getting picked up and not being late.

"You need to let the testers know where you will be months in advance.

"You've got to make sure you know where you are.

"It's pretty easy to do, but I can see how many people make mistakes when they are not properly organised."

Douglas joined Oxford City as a seven-year- old, and will, as usual, wear the club vest when he competes in Sheffield.

When asked about his loyalty to the club, where he started out, he replied: "That will be forever and a day."

As a youngster, Douglas was also a promising footballer and still follows Oxford United's fortunes even though he is an Arsenal fan.

"I always read the Oxford Mail when I come home and check up on the latest news," said Douglas.

"Hopefully they can progress up the table a little."