Van Commenee shies away from definite medal target in Doha

UKA head coach Charles van Commenee insists he is focusing on individual performances rather than a specific number of team medals at the World Indoor Championships in Doha next weekend.

MEDALS NOT IMPORTANT: UKA head coach Charles van Commenee insists medals aren't as important in Doha as they will be at July's European Championships in Barcelona (Getty Images)

The Dutchman has never been shy to set ambitious targets, having guided an injury-plagued squad to six medals at last year's World Championships in Berlin.

Having branded anything less than ten athletics medals at London 2012 a ‘failure', van Commenee made clear his intention for British athletes to focus on July's European Championships in Barcelona over anything else in 2010.

Van Commenee did admit the 38-strong squad had five definite medal contenders in the form of Dwain Chambers, Jessica Ennis, Phillips Idowu, team captain Jenny Meadows and the men's 4x400m relay team.

But he insisted he would be judging individual performances over anything else in Doha.

"It is not really important how many medals we win," said van Commenee. "We will have five strong medal contenders as we always have a few who knock on the door.

"But I am not looking at the team result - it is not relevant. I am looking at individual progress between Berlin and Doha.

"The medal tally at these championships is not a reflection of the state of the sport.

"I won't have the same perspective at the European Championships and will be looking for medals, but it doesn't tell us anything about how strong we are globally and ultimately that is what counts.

"I understand we need targets and outdoors is probably more interesting because every athlete is aiming to do well in Barcelona.

"But it is all about London. We aim at London although on the way we need to win medals as well."

While van Commenee's decisions have not always been popular amongst the British athletics hierarchy, the Dutchman has never led with anything than an iron fist.

And London 2012 chairman Lord Sebastian Coe was the latest to taste van Commenee's stubborn will as he dismissed Coe's preference for basing the British athletes on home soil before the Games.

"That is his view, I don't agree with that," said van Commenee, who held a training camp in Monte Gordo, Portugal before last summer's World Championships in Berlin.

"My Australian colleague who was in charge at the Sydney Games had some advice for me which I have taken to heart. One of the things was 'Don't prepare at home.'

"I am not running away from the pressure. You have to embrace the pressure but you also want to be in a quiet environment where you have a guarantee of good weather and don't have your cousin chasing you for tickets."

And such will be the pressure on world heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis in London, set to be one of the poster-girls of the Games, the Dutchman admits she will need special preparation for the experience.

And van Commenee admitted he may ask Cathy Freeman, who struck 400m gold in front of an expectant home crowd at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, to give Ennis some advice.

"I will be speaking to Jessica about her role," he said. "And it may be good to have a word with Cathy Freeman.

"Very few athletes have ever experienced having the role of being the favourite in their home Olympics.

"Certainly that will require a special approach and special attention because that might be something that is in the way.

"Usually, it is the opponents in the way but this might be something special you have to prepare for."

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