London 2012 Olympics: Mark Lewis-Francis plans to be real relay contender

Published on 24/07/2012 02:12

Mark Lewis-Francis is confident he and his 4x100 metre relay colleagues can put Great Britain in contention for Olympic gold once again.

Lewis-Francis returns to the Games at London 2012 as a veteran of the victorious quartet in Athens eight years ago, when he famously held off Maurice Greene on the anchor leg.

As well as Lewis-Francis, Team GB have veterans Dwain Chambers and Christian Malcolm in addition to new world junior champion Adam Gemili among their eight-man squad registered for the event.

Lewis-Francis, who missed Beijing 2008 through injury, said: “I’m very excited. It is London 2012, it is what everyone has been waiting for. I feel very lucky and privileged to be part of this team and I can’t wait. The boys are looking really good. I think we can be in the final and be in the mix for the final.”

The relay will culminate with the final on the penultimate day of athletics competition. The United States are the favourites for the event while champions Jamaica, with the likes of Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake in their ranks, are also strongly fancied.

But Lewis-Francis is focusing only on his own training, that of the team and – not least – the perennial problem of getting the baton around the track.

The 29-year-old Birchfield Harrier added: “We messed up once with the baton in Helsinki, we had another competition at Crystal Palace and got the baton round but the time wasn’t great. There is everything to work on but by the time the Olympics come round I am sure we will be on top form.”