Grand Prix: Greg Rutherford In Action

30 June 2013, 12:58 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Long jumper Greg Rutherford has promised an ongoing knee injury will not hinder his prospects of adding a World Championship title to last year's Olympic gold.

Rutherford, starred alongside Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill on Super Saturday at London 2012 but has been hampered by a left knee problem since the turn of the year.

He's testing it out again at the Sainsbury's Grand Prix Diamond League meeting in Birmingham on Sunday - a meeting that includes 10 other reigning Olympic champions, including Farah, as well as silver medallist Christine Ohuruogu (200m) and bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz (high jump).

But Rutherford refuses to make any allowances for himself while he works his way back to peak condition and is targeting victory at the Alexander Stadium before making a bid for the world crown in Moscow this August.

''I've been carrying a knee injury all year and I've been dealing with that and managing it,''

''I'm not where I'd love to be but I'm competitive, I'm still here and and I'm aiming to jump well.

''Hopefully the knee issue will clear up and I'll be jumping decent distances again.''

At 26, Rutherford would be forgiven for thinking success at London 2012 would be the pinnacle of his career -particularly given the likely strength of the field in Moscow and beyond.

''People still talk about the Olympics every day and it's lovely to have people so excited but I've had to move on from that and get myself ready for another year, which is all about winning the World Championships,'' he said.

''I haven't achieved what I set out to; I've achieved one of my goals by becoming Olympic champion.

''I aim to jump further and win more titles.

As well as the Olympic medallists, British interest will focus on the 400m hurdles where Dai Greene goes in a strong men's field and Perri Shakes-Drayton lines up in the women's race, with Mo Farrah in 5000m.

Among the international stars are men's 110m hurdles Olympic champion and world record holder Aries Merritt and sprint rivals Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Carmelita Jeter, who compete over the latter's favoured 200m