Robbie Grabarz celebrates

Newham & Essex Beagles’ Robbie Grabarz fired himself into medal contention for the Olympic Games after recording the leading high jump in the world this year in winning the Rome Diamond League meeting last Thursday.

Grabarz had his lottery funding cut after a poor 2011, but has bounced back in style this year, and in particular last week when he achieved a new personal best of 2.33 metres to win the high quality event in Italy.

He had cleared every height in the contest from 2.20m with his first attempt, until failing 2.35m.

“I achieved what I set out to achieve,” said Grabarz.

“I have been jumping very well in training but been trying to keep a lid on it. That’s why I started my season so late.

“I’ve been focusing a lot more and giving it everything I’ve got, mentally and physically in the way I address competition and training.

“It’s always been there, I was probably scared to apply it 100% before, but I thought why not give it a go and have no real regrets when it comes to an end.”

The win nets Grabarz US$10,000, a much welcome reward after at one stage having no funds in his bank account before the season started.

“I knew my funding was going and it put it into reality that it’s actually really what I want to do and I love doing,” he added.

“It got to the point where there was no money in my account by the time the season came around so it was jump high or go home.”

■ Meanwhile, the 24-year-old was not the only Newham & Essex Beagle in scintillating form over the weekend.

Olympic medal hope Mo Farah set the fastest 5,000m time in the world this year in winning the Diamond League meeting in Oregon, United States on Saturday.

Targeting

But the 29-year-old insists he is targeting the 10,000m at the Olympic Games before deciding whether to run the 5,000m.

“I am going to run the 10,000 for sure because it is the first race,” said Farah.

“I will see how I feel after that. It depends how I come off in the 10,000. I would like to be fresh and not have any niggles.”