Perkins looks to defend her high jump title at Olympic Stadium

Perkins, who is hoping to represent Great Britain in this year’s Olympics, went to a training day at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday – which was organised for potential Olympic competitors as part of preparation for the Games.

The Cambridge University student was pleased to visit the stadium, calling it “a good experience” but is now looking forward to Saturday’s competition and said: “The championships are a great opportunity for students all over the country to compete in an Olympic venue, and many competitors, myself included, will never before have competed on such a large stage.

“My high jump competition is on the Saturday evening, which will coincide with the UKA celebration of 2012 hours until the Olympics Games. It will feature UKA athletes and a number of celebrities, and will provide the unique experience of being watched by 40,000 spectators, so that is a slightly daunting, yet incredibly exciting prospect.”

After disappointment in the BUCS Indoor Championships when she finished third , Perkins is hoping for a positive performance in the outdoor championships this weekend and said: “I under-performed in the Indoor Championships and only managed to take the bronze medal.

“I am hoping to produce a much more positive performance. As defending champion from last year’s outdoor championships, I am, of course, hoping to retain my title, which would also mean setting the stadium record, which would be taken into the Olympic Games.

“I will have stiff competition from a girl in my training group, who jumped only one centimetre lower than me in the indoor season, though I am hoping this pressure will spur me on and, hopefully, result in a personal best performance.”