Sotherton insists her javelin is not that bad

Birchfield heptathlete Kelly Sotherton says she has overcome her problems with the javelin and is confident she can challenge for gold at the Olympics.

The javelin has always been Sotherton's weakest discipline but she told BBC WM she has worked hard on improving.

"It's been my Achilles heel for three years but I've still managed to win six medals out of eight.

"It's not going to let me down again, I've worked hard at it and I think it'll be fine."

The current Commonwealth champion is among the favourites to win her first gold medal at World and Olympic level in Beijing in August, following the withdrawal of defending Olympic champion Carolina Kluft.

And Sotherton knows she has a great chance: "I can see myself standing on top of the podium singing the national anthem.

I just need to get the technical events right but my attitude to it is not so negative Kelly Sotherton

Sotherton continued her build up for Beijing by running in the 4x400m relay at the European Cup in France.

"I ran really well, better than I thought I'd run and better than my coach thought, so I'm in good shape," she said.

"I just need to get the technical events right but my attitude to it [the javelin] is not so negative.

"The media are very negative about it, they never ask me about the other six events but I just have to forget about what they say and do what I've been doing."