Lewis targets gold medal in 2012

Lewis finished fourth at the European Indoor Championships in Turin

Pole vaulter Steven Lewis has said his main objective is to win a gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012.

The 22-year-old, from Staffordshire, failed to reach the final of the Beijing Olympics but is hoping for better when the Games come to the UK.

He told BBC Radio Stoke: "I'm so lucky to be the age I'll be and have the experience I'll have.

"That's definitely my aim, it's on my mind every day, that's why I train so hard and why my motivation is so high."

Great Britain won just one gold medal in track and field in Beijing, when Christine Ohuruogu led the field in the women's 400m.

But Lewis, who is originally from Lightoaks, is confident that the British team will have a more positive Games in 2012.

He added: "Everyone will raise their game for their home Olympics and athletes who went to Beijing but didn't perform as they would have liked have picked up bags of experience that they can carry forward.

"Over the next three years I think things can pick up and I'm really positive about the team."

Lewis finished fourth at the European Indoor Championships in Turin earlier this month and was praised for his performance by the head coach of UK Athletics, Charles van Commenee.