Swallow hoping that London 2012 will be her summer

By Gerard Meagher, Sportsbeat

JODIE Swallow believes upping sticks to Switzerland was a case of perfect timing - but has vowed to return to the capital in style in two years' time.

CONFIDENT: Jodie Swallow - who won last year's world long distance triathlon title - is looking ahead to London 2012 with confidence after relocating to Switzerland (Getty Images)

The 29-year-old decided to fly the nest at the start of the season to base herself near Lake Geneva in a bid to sharpen her skills ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.

Swallow has gone about her business quietly this season but proved her form at the London leg of the ITU World Championship Series in Hyde Park last month, coming home seventh before following that up with silver at the Hungary World Cup last weekend.

While not using the exact course for the London Olympics, the race in the capital mirrored large parts of the 2012 route and as Swallow prepares to mount her bid to compete at a home Games, she believes her Swiss sojourn will prove pivotal.

"I've had seven solid weeks training but in terms of the season, the race in London was the biggest one so far," said Swallow, who finished 34th at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and won last year's long distance world title.

"I've had an overhaul this season, I just decided to go and train in Switzerland in a period of a couple of weeks.

"And I had to look at the London Olympics and look back from that I thought I should race where they're going to be so we decided to race in Hyde Park this year and next year.

"For the past eight years I've been living in the UK and doing triathlon and I've been doing OK but I have not been fulfilling my potential by any stretch of the imagination.

"And I realised that time runs out, I'm 29 at the moment and I'm going to be 31 at the Olympics and it might be my last chance.

"I've got an opportunity and I think sometimes you have to take it and I'm really glad that I did. It's been an amazing experience so far and whatever happens I don't think I'll regret it."

Swallow's triathlon breakthrough came in 2003 when she collected silver at the Athens World Cup, only for a disappointing Olympic debut to ensue.

Injured in 2004, Swallow became disillusioned with the sport and she took the whole of the 2005 off and lost out on her funding as a result.

But Swallow believes that being left to fend for herself has turned her into a stronger triathlete.

"I needed a break from what I've been doing in the past and I think I know what works for me now and I prefer to be separate from the GB set-up," she added.

"Hopefully I can come back and qualify for the Olympics and then reconnect with them. I've been self-funded for a long time now.

"We're professional athletes and if we're good enough then we will earn enough and we get enough sponsorship.

"So it's nice to have that support behind you but it's also important to be able to cope without it and that's what I've done. It's made me grow up pretty fast to be honest and so I'm thankful for that."