FROM STRATFORD TO STRATFORD. Except this time Andy Pozzi would like to end the journey on the podium.
Pozzi was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in Shakespeare country but has already booked his place in Sunday’s semi-finals in the 110m hurdles ahead of Monday’s final showdown at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford East London.
Back at London 2012 he cut a solitary figure limping off the same track when he suffered a hamstring injury after clearing the opening hurdle in his first heat.
Tipped to be a star when he first burst onto the international stage five years ago his career has since been plagued by further injuries.
But back in Belgrade in March he gabbed the first senior medal of his career with European Indoor 60m hurdles gold having gone into the event ranked world number one.
And after an injury free year he now has his sights on a medal at London 2017.
Pozzi, 25, admitted: “What happened at London 2012 and now going back to the stadium is something I’m really conscious of.
“It’s not that it motivates me every day in training but it was strange for me last year at the Anniversary Games. It was the first time since the Olympics I had competed there and a lot of the other athletes were sharing their memories of London 2012.
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“Mine of course was limping back down the home straight.
“London 2012 was such a big occasion and sadly I never really got to experience it. Now London 2017 is another chance for me.
“I’m not getting too carried away with sentiment but at the same time to compete there means so much to me, a lot more than if it was a World Championships anywhere else.”
Pozzi also believes he has got over the problems that caused his often fragile body not to be able to cope with three rounds at major championships in recent years.
He said: "I've already done more competitions this year than I've been able to do over the last couple of years and raced the big guys several times.
"I don't think there is any one at the moment who is head and shoulders above the rest. The event is quite open."
Pozzi, who set a personal best of 13.14secs at the Paris Diamond League meeting last month (July) said: "Winning gold in Belgrade has given me confidence that I can now go to a Championships and put it all together."
Colin Jackson admitted earlier this year that Pozzi was capable of breaking his British and European record at the World Championships.
Jackson broke the world record with his 12.91secs in 1993 en route to world gold in Stuttgart and no European or Brit has gone faster since.
Pozzi spent six years being coached by Jackson's mentor Malcolm Arnold and admits he speaks regularly to the hurdles star for valuable advice.
He said: "That mark stood as a world record for over a decade and is incredibly fast.
"My main aim at the moment though is targeting a medal. It's my first season that I've been strong indoors and I feel in a really good place going into London.
"I'm not getting too carried away about records as it's almost like year one of my career again.
"But on the basis of my times and how I run those times we have got to be looking at a realistic chance of a medal. That is what it is all about.
"I was the fastest in the world at the European Indoors and that's the expectation now.. a safe passage to the final and then push for a medal."
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