Rimmer represented Great Britain in the Beijing Games last summer

Liverpool runner Michael Rimmer hopes to get himself in a medal position for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The 23-year-old won the 800m at the UK Championships for the fourth consecutive time this month.

Rimmer told BBC Radio Merseyside: "Hopefully by London 2012 I will be a medal prospect.

"That's what I'd like to be - I'd love that. If you're not in that position it's a bit unfortunate - but to come away with a medal would be fantastic."

He added: "I look at it as there are three winters' worth of training. There's a long time to put some hard work in there.

"I think getting more experience this year at the World Championships and next year I've got the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games.

Hopefully today is another chance to to show the kids that they can enjoy sport and keep fit as well Liverpool athlete Michael Rimmer

"So that is a fantastic chance to get a couple of medals which would be a another confidence boost."

Rimmer was hosting an Aviva UKA Academy training session at Edge Hill University in Ormskirk on Tuesday to showcase athletics for youngsters aged eight to 15.

Rimmer believes it is important for well-known athletes to bring the sport to the next generation to help the sport grow in the long term - but also to get the population interested in keeping fit and healthy.

"For the last couple of years I've popped into a few schools locally, mainly primary schools, just to get kids excited about sport. You read so much in the papers and in the news about how kids just don't do any activity.

"They just sit on the computer all the time. I think when you are a so-called local celebrity and you've done well in a sport - it's good to just go out and try to encourage to follow in your footsteps.

"That's the aim anyway and hopefully today is another chance to to show the kids that they can enjoy sport and keep fit as well."

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