Relay expertise offers Buck opportunity to shine on big stage

Despite finishing eighth at the Aviva UK Championships last month, Buck's relay expertise meant he was selected as part of a seven-strong men's relay squad ready for an assault on Europe in Barcelona.

The 23-year-old's CV boasts 2009 indoor 4x400m silver and 2010 indoor 4x400m bronze and the Great Britain team will be hoping he brings this success with him out into the open air.

Should he make the final four Buck will feature for the first time at a major outdoor competition since the 2007 European Championships after a virus and hamstring injury wrecked his chances to run in Beijing 2008 and then the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin.

And with his injury troubles firmly behind him, Buck is delighted to be back in the fold as the team make their final preparations for Barcelona.

"It is so nice to be back out in a training camp and preparing for a major tournament again after missing out at the worlds last year due to injury," said Buck.

"It was a bit of a shock to the system coming back into a training camp again and working hard on all areas of training but I have got to grips with it now and have managed to get back into the swing of things.

"This is really a reward for the hard work I put in during the season so far and now everything is coming together and clicking in and I am looking forward to getting out to Barcelona.

"Missing out on Berlin last year was hard to take but I was hit by a hamstring injury and that meant I just wasn't running well enough to earn my place.

"But that just made my hungrier this year around and from the very start I targeted the European Championships as my main aim and I am delighted to have made it."

Buck's breakthrough came back in 2007 when he finished third in the World Championship trials, setting an outdoor personal best of 46.13secs in winning his semi-final.

Injuries have meant Buck has been unable to improve on this time over the past three years but he is confident a new best is just around the corner now his fitness woes are in the past.

He added: "I have been reasonably satisfied with how my season has gone so far but the nature of an athlete is that you always want more.

"I would have liked to have run a new personal best before I got to Barcelona and that hasn't happened.

"But I guess I am being too greedy after just coming back from injury this year and changing coaches, too, to Michael Khmel.

"Maybe I was asking too much because I have moved to Loughborough, too, so everything has changed really. But I know I can run faster and I want to prove that out in Barcelona.

"I am confident that my injury problems are in the main behind me now and that is going to help me run better out on the track.

"My body is conditioned now and the worst period is past me and I am looking forward to putting together a couple of years of good training and racing now.

"It helps so much to know that you can run without worrying and you can hit the track with a clear mind, nothing niggling at the back of your mind and not stressing.

"It just means you can put in 100 per cent in every session you do and that shows out on the track and I know a new personal best is not far off."