Simpson has a personal best of 1:58.74 in the 800m

Cornish 800m runner Jemma Simpson has claimed she will reach the pinnacle of her career during the next three years.

The 26-year-old from Polgooth, who is the current UK champion over 800m, is in action at the European Championships in Barcelona this week.

She told BBC Radio Cornwall: "I feel like in the next three years I'll come into my career peak.

"I'll be 28 in 2012 and I feel like now is the time to start building on things that I've experienced in the past."

Simpson is one of three British 800m athletes currently competing at the top level internationally, the others being Jenny Meadows and Marilyn Okoro.

The Cornish runner said the achievements of double Olympic gold-medal winner Kelly Holmes, who won both the 800m and 1500m in 2004, is a constant source of inspiration for the current crop of stars.

Simpson said: "It seems like ever since Kelly won her double gold-medal, middle-distance for Great Britain has gone through the roof, especially for women.

"It just keeps improving and getting better, because when one person gets success then another thinks I can do that, and gets success as well."

Simpson added that the London 2012 Olympics will provide the British trio with the perfect opportunity to emulate the achievements of Holmes.

"With the Olympics being on home soil that just improves the whole experience," she said.

"We have the opportunity for everything to come together at the right time with both age and peak performance."

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