Kelly Sotherton has a gold medal "tattooed" on her mind as she heads towards the Olympics.

The heptathlon star is one of Britain's main hopes for track and field success in Beijing next month despite a season blighted by injuries.

This past weekend the Birchfield Harrier competed in four events at the UK Championships in Birmingham but was not too concerned by some below-par performances, insisting she's feeling fit and ready for the challenge ahead.

She said: "I'll give my long jump about eight out of 10, my shot was about a one, my high jump about a three and my javelin about five because it was the best I've thrown for about three years.

"But I'm not using this as a guide, just as a physical test. I do better in training - it's all about getting through this weekend healthy and then I can start the ball rolling.

"I have three more competitions, with the last one at Crystal Palace were I'll do the four-event challenge.

"There's no need to worry about me. I'll get on and do the job, I always do. I am confident and very fit at the moment. I just need to show it outsid e training."

The weight of expectation on Sotherton's shoulders has got a whole lot heavier since Swedish sensation Carolina Kluft opted against defending her Olympic crown but topping the podium in China will be far from easy.

So far this year four women have scored higher than Sotherton's lifetime best20of 6547 points while Hyleas Fountain and Tatyana Chernova have even exceeded the 6600 barrier.

However, delivering these kind of scores on the biggest stage of all is another matter and the 31-year-old certainly has enough experience and medals to draw upon as a source of belief.

Sotherton, who has won Olympic and world bronze as well as becoming Commonwealth champion, said: "I think I'm the favourite underdog, maybe.

"There are some girls who have scored higher than I've ever done in my life but they've got to do it again in the bigger arena. And I know I've performed in the big arena many times and I've only messed up twice."

Chernova, the promising 20-year-old from Russian, is a key threat but Sotherton is confident she can take on anyone.

"She's good but you have to be able to do it when it matters," she said. "I was underdog of winning a medal last year in Osaka and everyone was pointing at other people, including her. But I know that when I have to perform I do perform.

"As soon as I put on that British vest it means that I've got to do it."

And there's no doubt the gold is where her ambition lies.

"That's my belief, you've got to believe it," she said. "I'm not just going there to take part and make the top eight - that's not my aim.

"Until I win gold at that level I can't imagine what it would be like. The Commonwealth doesn't count really.

"I dream about it every day, all day - gold medals are tattooe d on my brain! But I've still got to go out there and win it and perform."

The absence of the invincible Olympic, World and European champion

Kluft will make the tussle for top spot much tighter than before but Sotherton hopes they'll be another opportunity to beat her in the future.

She said: "It gives me a better chance but I would have liked to compete against her and whether she would have beaten me or not remains to be seen.

"She is a fantastic athlete I just wish I had the chance to have another go at her. Maybe in London 2012 she might come out and do another heptathlon and I might still be going at the age of 35.

"There's about five or six of us who could win that gold medal so it's going to be ultra competitive and that's what I like. It's going to be close and I reckon it will be on the 800m - and I'll have to run stupidly fast to win.

"It will make it more interesting for the crowd. Noone is going to know who's going to win before the last event while in the past they all knew Carolina was going to win."

For now Sotherton admits she must get a "bit sharper" and a "bit faster" and will avoid the temptation to rest up just to ensure she gets there in one piece.

"It's been my worst year for injuries," she said. "Time off at winter because I couldn't run, two months off, kidney failure, ligament strain, torn quads, I've had them all. But I'm still here.

"If I hold back I'll only come fourth and fifth at the Olympics and that's not good enough. I have to push it a bit more each time because I want to at least get a medal. You have to push the barrier.

"You're on a thin line of being successful and getting injured and every athlete is in the same position. It's such a fine line.

"I've had a torrid year but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and that's my attitude."

It was mixed fortunes for British athletics this past weekend. The UK Championships saw a number of promising performances but over in Hexham, decathlete Dean Macey's attempts to reach another Olympics failed and this was sad news for Sotherton.

She said: "He should have been Olympic champion at least twice. He's so talented but unfortunately he's had constant injuries and it's just unlucky for him. You have to be lucky in athletics.

"You have to be healthy and unfortunately his body just couldn't cope with the pressure of being a decathlete.

"But there have been a number of world class performances this weekend and it proves we are improving. Everyone was really competitive and that's a massive thing.

"Everyone is going to be hanging a gold medal round Phillips' neck but he has to go out there and perform - and he knows that. He's such a calm guy though, and just gets on with it."

Fellow heptathlete Jessica Ennis was ruled out of the Olympics earlier this year but Sotherton remains positive about the Sheffield starlet's future.

"I felt sick when I got told," she said. "I know she's very strong up there and I think she'll bounce back. It's her first big injury but she can recover and she's got so many years ahead of her. The main thing is not to rush and be sensible about her rehab."

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