Oxford City triple jumper Nathan Douglas has vowed to put sensibility over stupidity as he battles to be fit for the World Championships in Berlin.

For the past two years Douglas has been in a constant fight with his body, rupturing a hamstring in 2007, before undergoing surgery on a knee at the end of last year.

However, just when he thought the worst was behind him, the 26-year-old suffered a grade one hamstring strain last month and was forced into a race against time to be fit for the world championships.

Douglas – who failed to make the Olympic final in Beijing last summer thanks to injury – is confident he will win his fitness battle, but admitted he won’t be pushing his body to breaking point to do so.

“I don’t want to be on that line in Berlin if my hamstring is hurting. I am not one of those people who say I’ll jump and if my hamstring goes then so be it,” said Douglas – who suffered the strain at the London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace.

“I would rather be on there feeling good, knowing that I can perform. I am hoping I can be like that and not be worried about the injury and thinking it could go at any time.

“As far as I am concerned I am going to be in Berlin. Two weeks ago I wouldn’t have said that, but I have had a lot of sessions in the oxygen tank to try and accelerate my recovery and it has worked well. I have done everything now it is just a waiting game.”

Aside from injury, Douglas has showed glimpses of returning to his 2006 European silver medal winning form – breaking the 17m barrier for the first time this season to finish second at the World Trials and UK Championships.

The Oxford City ace’s season best of 17.01m is nearly 60 centimetres down on that of British No 1 and Olympic silver medallist Phillips Idowu and his own personal mark of 17.64m.

Douglas also admitted to fighting a constant mental battle in order to get himself fit enough to compete at the Olympic Stadium, but says he won’t use that as an excuse for failure.

“I am just trying to stay positive and believe that I can pull something out of the bag,” he added.

“There is no point feeling sorry for myself because I am always saying to people, why dwell on the negatives?

“If you concentrate on negative things then I think it is only going to attract more negative things to you.”

  • Nathan Douglas is a GB&NI team athlete benefiting from the Aviva funded UKA preparation camp ahead of the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. Visit aviva.co.uk/ athletics for more info.