November 5 - Long jumper Jade Johnson (pictured) has insisted that being one of the stars of "Strictly Come Dancing" has not detracted from her determination to win a medal at the London 2012 Olympics.

 

The Londoner is one of the favourites to come out on top in the highly-rated BBC1 show with her dance partner Ian Waite.

 

Johnson, the 2002 European Championship and Commonwealth Games silver medallist, has made competing in the show the focus of her year after skipping the 2009 athletics season to rejuvenate herself before she beings preparations for 2012.

 

She said: "My career has been stop, start, and stop, start.

 

"It's mentally and physically draining.

 

"I had a spell of quite a few injuries during 2005 and 2006 and I didn't make the GB team in 2007, but I fought back and did everything I possibly could to make the Olympics in 2008.

 

"But I was so exhausted mentally from making it that I decided to take a year out because I know how hectic it's going to be leading up to the 2012 Olympics.

 

"I felt like I needed to have a break to refresh and rejuvenate…and somehow I’ve ended up doing Strictly.

 

"I don’t think people realise but when you prepare for the Olympics, you do it as a four-year cycle.

 

"You have to plan everything to gear up to the Games – even all the events that happen in between.

 

"The 2012 Games mean a lot to me at the moment as, you know, I've been to two European’s, I've been to two Commonwealth games, and I've been to two World Championships and two Olympics.

 

"So for me now, it's not about simply attending, it's about going out and being a success [at London 2012]."

 

Johnson, 29, last week scored impressive personal best of 35 out of 40 with the foxtrot last Saturday and will this week be doing the jive when the show takes place in Blackpool.

 

But athletics will always remain the main focus for Johnson, who finished seventh at the Olympics in Beijing last year.

 

She said: "Athletics means everything to me so when things don’t go well it affects me really badly.

 

"I really don't want to get voted off of Strictly because I'm having so much fun and I'm loving learning all the routines, but if I did get voted off, I'd probably be upset for a week and then I'd move on.

 

"But when I don't make an Olympic team or a World Championship squad, it affects me for months and months, so I’m trying to keep things in perspective for Strictly."