To compete in an Olympic Games satisfies the hunger of many an athlete, to compete in three could be seen as greedy.

That is the target former European champion Sarah Clark has set herself after being part of the GB team in Athens and Beijing.

The Edinburgh player, originally from South Shields, will be 34 in London 2012 but her ability to consistently medal at the highest level shows her undoubted talent.

The next few weeks are important for Clark as she competes in the World Championships in Tokyo and then the World Cup in Birmingham.

She was originally selected on the proviso that she prove her fitness after a neck injury but Clark will return to the mat at Under-63kg level keen to get back into competition.

“I was pretty much keeping up with strength training although it was modified a little and my conditioning has been done on the bike and by running,” she explains.

“I’m my own worst enemy because I’m always wanting to do more and more. It’s not the best thing being injured but I’ve been able to turn it around in my head and focus on the positives.

“It gives you time for rest which is important and I’ve been able to train off mat and look at video footage of opponents.

“It also means I’m desperate to get back into competition. I last fought in Moscow in June and that was not me at full fitness as I was coming back after my elbow operation.

“I had an excellent camp after Moscow and then a few weeks later I hurt my neck.”

Clark knows that getting a medal in Tokyo would be a tall order given that the championships are bigger than ever.

“As always I expect to win but, realistically, I’d be more than happy with a medal after the past 18 months I’ve had,” she admits.

“It is harder now there are two [fighters] in each weight of the categories, as some of the top countries that have two players in the world in the top 10 can now double up.”

Everything is geared towards London in two years time after the disappointments of two years ago.

“It’s easy to say we under-performed in Beijing as there were high expectations. We had a great team and maybe there was a media pressure,” she continues.

“I think if you look at cycling, there was a momentum building up after the first gold medal. A similar thing could have happened in judo if we had started well.

“I’m hoping for a medal in London, all being well. I wouldn’t want to go just to make up the numbers. I’ve been medalling pretty consistently in tournaments and now I have two years to build up to it where I have two World Championships and two Europeans.

“I’ve not ruled out Glasgow 2014 but it’s just how my body and mind take it in the next two years.

“It’s not so much an age thing as you can be cleverer in terms of preparation. My focus now is on London and that is what I am pushing towards. It’s quite exciting.

“You only really get media attention at the Olympic Games or maybe the odd World Championships and I guess that’s how I want it.

“Maybe it would be nice to be recognised in the street but, on the flip side, if you have a bad performances, then it’s magnified. Maybe for the likes of footballers, recognition can give them a bigger lift but maybe it also gives them a bigger low when things don’t go well. It’s all peaks and troughs.

“Sometimes things don’t go right for two years or three years and you’re getting slammed all the time. In judo, if things don’t go well then there’s not the same scrutiny.

“I think recognition would come with an Olympic gold medal if you look at Brian Jacks, Neil Adams or Kate Howey. 

”I feel as good as I’ve ever felt. I feel good and I feel really confident and I think I’m cleverer now when it comes to competing. But it comes down to how you cope on the day.”

RM

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