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Samson Oni has said he will look back on his disastrous 2009 season with pride if it propels him to the Olympic podium in three years' time.

Britain's top-ranked indoor high jumper endured a nightmare outdoor season, falling five centimetres short of his lifetime best and failing to make the plane to Berlin's World Championships.

The 28-year-old Belgrave Harrier also struggled to a ninth-place finish at the European Team Championships in Portugal and finished second to Germaine Mason at the World Trials.

But after spending the year remodelling his technique, Oni expects his bold decision to bear fruit immediately next term.

"The truth is my season could have gone either way," said Oni. "I was looking to change my technique to take me to the next level and to do that I had to experiment to find out what did and what didn't work.

"In theory I could have struck the right formula straight away but in all likelihood it was going to take some time.

"There is no doubt that if I'd kept going with my old technique then I would have got myself another PB this year.

"But in a couple of years I would have hit the ceiling and I'd be flagging when 2012 came round.

"For me it's all about 2012 so there was no point in me hitting my limit with my old technique before then.

"Instead I decided to sacrifice year, not progress results-wise but know that once I'd got it sorted I would be able to go on and really compete.

"I got there eventually and now I know that I'll be producing from the get-go next season."

And with the Commonwealth Games in Delhi and the European Championships in Barcelona on the horizon, Oni is determined to make up for lost time in 2010.

"I'd like to get to the Europeans this year, I didn't get to the Worlds and I'd like to taste a major championship," added Oni.

"It would mean lots for me to get there and I know that as soon as the season starts I'm going to be flying because of the changes I have made.

"Then there are the Commonwealths too so I think next year is the time for me to make a major outdoor competition.

"Realistically the world indoors in Doha is probably my best shot at producing at a major championship.

"I like a good atmosphere, I like lots of noise when I compete and you always get that when you compete indoors.

"But the atmosphere at the Europeans would be electric I would think and if I was to get there I believe I would perform really well."

More than the Games / Eurosport