Sprinter Jeanette Kwakye says home advantage can help her produce the goods at London 2012.
British sprinter talks to Sky Sports News Radio about 2012
Jeanette Kwakye insists home advantage in London 2012 can help her produce another strong Olympic performance in the 100m next year.
Kwakye, the three-time British 100m champion, finished a superb sixth in the Olympic final in Beijing, as the only European representative to make the race.
A personal best of 11.14 saw her beat world stars Debbie Ferguson and Torrie Edwards in Beijing, and with home advantage behind her she hopes she can do even better in London next year - with the excitement already building.
"You've got the Americans and the Jamaicans who are the strongest in the sprints, they're a very fast bunch of girls," Kwakye told
Sky Sports News Radio.
"They have an advantage obviously because they train in good heat and have fantastic coaching, but the way I see it I have the home advantage.
"Just watching New Zealand win their World Cup in rugby just now was fantastic and I just thought wow wouldn't it be amazing to do that kind of achievement on home soil, so that home advantage is something I'm looking forward to having."
Home crowd
Having a buoyant home crowd backing her will not exactly put Kwakye off her game, as she proved in Beijing that she relishes the big occasion.
"There were 91,000 people in that stadium in Beijing, there'll be a little less in London but the fact most will be GB supporters probably adds to the pressure, but I love it and I can't wait - it's the stuff dreams are made of."
Born in London to Ghanaian parents, Kwakye is proud to see how the Olympic Park has transformed her home town - but she insists she will not be making many pre-Games trips to test out the track inside the stadium.
"It's all pretty much completed now, it's great to see these stadiums going up in east London, I was born and bred in east London so to see these things come up from the ground is fantastic.
"There's talk of putting on some test events on the track but I don't think I'd do that. I think I want the element of surprise and for it all to be new when I step on the track to just add to the atmosphere."
Along with the 100m, Kwayke also aims to qualify for the 200m next year and also make the GB team for the 4x100m relay.
"I want to try multiple events this year, so if I can qualify for the 200 that'll be a bonus, and I hope to be part of the relay squad as well so it's just a case of getting my head down and working hard now."
