Olympic bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton insists she will be satisfied with the outcome of her heptathlon campaign at the World Championships as long as she knows she has given everything she can.
The 28-year-old claimed the bronze medal in Athens last year behind world champion Carolina Kluft and Lithuania's Austra Skujyte but was criticised by her then coach Charles van Commennee who was adamant she should have finished one place higher.
Now the Birchfield Harrier is insistent she will give 100 per cent in the seven-discipline event which starts tomorrow at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki.
She said: "Obviously a medal would be fantastic but as long as I know I've given everything whereas in Athens I didn't give everything in the 800 metres and lost the silver medal because I knew I could have given more in the end.
"If people beat me on the day I can't stop them being better but as long as I know I've given 120 per cent I will have done my best."
Sotherton is currently ranked third in the world behind Eunice Barber and Kluft with the former world champion having set a new French record of 6889 points in Arles in June and she faces a tough challenge if she is to once again guarantee herself a place on the podium.
However, Kluft sustained an ankle injury in training this morning and she will start the event with strapping but the Briton insists she is not studying her opposition but is instead focusing on her own performance.
"I'm not really thinking about Kluft because she is that far ahead, she is up there," she said. "I'm not thinking about Barber, either, I'm just concentrating on what I am doing."
The Isle of Wight-born athlete set a new personal best of 6547 at Gotzis in May, setting new marks in the 100m hurdles, shot put and 800m along the way, while equalling her high jump best.
However, her javelin is some way behind with a best this year of 37.21 metres - in contrast to Barber and Kluft who have produced efforts of 53.07m and 46.32m respectively in 2005.
Although she is happy with the technical aspect of her throwing, following advice from former Olympian Steve Backley and his ex-coach John Trower, Sotherton admits she is not as yet producing the longer throws but has faith they will come.
"Technically it has been the best but this year I haven't been able to throw the distances.
"I kind of think I've got six events pretty much sussed - I can't throw the javelin every day because I would be lessening what I do in the other events.
"It's coming - it just takes a little bit longer that's all. But I'm sure I will do okay on Sunday.
"Other heptathletes have a problem throwing. It's probably an event no-one has a natural feel for but I've got all the attributes to throw far - it's just about working harder.
"Every event can be improved upon. Little improvements in every event can add up to 200 points."
Elsewhere on the first day, Mike East will be bidding to safely negotiate the heats of the 1500m, a year after he became the only British male to contest an individual final in Athens when he finished a highly-creditable sixth.
A knee injury delayed the start of his 2005 season and the 27-year-old came in third at the trials in Manchester last month in a time of three minutes 37.23 seconds.
However, he improved that to 3mins 33.32secs to finish third behind Olympic silver medallist Bernard Lagat at Crystal Palace last month.
East will be joined by Nick McCormick, who beat him at the trials, and who set a new personal best of 3:35.74 at Crystal Palace.
Carl Myerscough has an early attempt at a medal in the shot put, a straight final which is the penultimate event before Paula Radcliffe competes in the 10,000m.
The 'Blackpool Tower' will be looking to atone for the last world championships when he finished 19th but his best effort this year of 20.62m only ranks him 20th in the world.
