Holmes has doubts over Olympic build-up

Olympic medal hopeful Kelly Holmes today admitted her preparations for this year's Games are not going according to plan.

Holmes will step on to the track in Ostrava tomorrow evening for her first race of the season without an illness or injury problem.

But the middle-distance runner, who earlier in the year issued glowing reports of her winter preparations in South Africa, still has lingering doubts about her build-up to Athens.

She said: "My training hasn't gone as well as I expected it might. That's why tomorrow night's race is really important."

Nonetheless, she hopes the IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting in the Czech Republic will prove her labours have been worthwhile.

"The race here in Ostrava has now become a very big test for me," she said. "I know I sometimes demand too much of myself but I don't think I have really achieved as much as I wanted to do."

The Commonwealth champion, who is praying that the injuries that have piled up year on year are now a thing of the past, is aiming for 1,500 metres glory in Athens.

But she is also maintaining her speed work in case a last minute problem makes the 800m a better option.

"I want to do the 1,500metres," said Holmes, a finalist at that distance in the past two Games. "But I know from experience I have to be prepared for any eventuality. I've had a wonderful period this winter of staying injury free. But as I have learned to my cost, you never know what might be around the corner."

The 34-year-old finished third over 800m in Sydney and followed that with a seventh placing over 1,500m.

In the world championships in Paris last August, injury forced her to step down to 800m, where she brilliantly claimed the silver behind training partner Maria Mutola.

"It was an achievement to remember, but for the Olympics my heart really does belong with the 1,500metres," insisted Holmes.

Canada's Carmen Douma-Hussar, a runaway winner of last week's Hengelo GP, heads the opposition at Ostrava.