Greece's Tsátoumas ready to show heart and soul in Helsinki

Greek long jumper Loúis Tsátoumas is hopeful of winning a medal at this summer's European Athletics Championships in Helsinki.

By his own admission, Loúis Tsátoumas hasn't always produced his best form on the biggest of stages in recent years but the Greek long jumper remains unquestionably one of the continent's best talents in his chosen event.

In Helsinki this summer, he is determined to make it third time lucky at the European Athletics Championships.

Tsátoumas has already been a European champion at the junior and U23 levels, winning in 2001 and 2003 respectively, but has yet to get a medal in the senior ranks, finishing eighth at the 2006 European Athletics Championships in Göteborg and then sixth in Barcelona two years ago.

'It's my turn, I have a feeling that this year is going to be my year. I'm very keen on the European Athletics Championships. I have been to two previous Championships and never got a medal, for different reasons,' told European Athletics.

'It's been 11 years since I was European junior champion and it would be good to show people that I can also be a champion now that I am older,' reflected the 30-year-old from Messene.

Despite missing out so far on medals at the European Athletics championships, Tsátoumas has been on the podium at the European Athletics Indoor Championships, finishing second in 2007.

Tsátoumas stands third on the European all-time list for the long jump with the Greek record 8.66m he jumped at the Papaflessia meeting in Kalamata in 2007, just 25km away from his home town, which that year was a European Athletics Outdoor Permit Meeting.

'My best last year was 8.26m outdoors and I am aiming to do even better than that this year; that distance would have won me a medal at the last two European Athletics Championships so my target is also to be at my best in Helsinki.

As everyone knows, Greek athletes face enormous challenges at the moment cause of the prevalent economic situation in the country and Tsátoumas admitted that it is having an effect but remains upbeat about Greece's medal prospect at the big events this summer.

'We (Greek athletes) face so many difficulties in our preparations. The tracks we are using often have no lighting and the indoor gyms this winter have had no heating. It is sometimes below 10 degrees Celsius. It's a worry because many athletes can get injured during training.'

'However, I believe in Greek athletics and the athletes' souls. Greeks have a very big heart and I believe we will show that at the European Athletics Championships and Olympic Games in 2012,' added Tsátoumas.

The 2012 European Athletics Championships will be held in Helsinki, Finland, from 27 June – 1 July.