After an injury-stricken indoor season and a slow start to my 2008 outdoor campaign, an 8th placed finish in the Olympic high jump final would have be a fantastic achievement. However, such was my form coming into the Olympics, my coach and I agreed that a top-5 finish was the aim. I had got very close to jumping 2.33m at the Olympic trials in Birmingham, a height that we knew would get me close to winning a medal.

Later on, a succession of new training personal bests at the holding camp in Macau, indicated our ambitions were realistic. However, the overwhelming pressure-cooker environment, combined with unprecedented levels of nervous energy and a super-fast mondo track, meant that simply qualifying for the final was a much harder ordeal than what was initially anticipated.

Even drawing on last years experience from the World Championships in Osaka (Japan), I felt that nothing could prepare me for the sensation I felt as I walked out into a packed stadium of around 90,000 spectators for a morning session mainly involving only qualification for finals in which the real drama would unfold. Making the final of the World Championships last year had meant that expectations from myself and everyone else were much higher.

I had gained confidence from my training sessions and my warm-up jumps went quite well. However, I had to take my run-up back a couple of footsteps as I was taking-off too close. The opening height was 2.10m but I decided to enter at 2.15m as I had practiced this in Macau. I cleared the bar comfortably but then had a failure on my first attempt at 2.20m. The second attempt was a clearance but my approach run was becoming slightly inconsistent and I felt a lack of control at take-off. I concentrated really hard on clearing 2.25m on first attempt as I knew other competitors were struggling slightly and the number of failures could count against me, and maybe decide whether or not I reached the final. I cleared the bar quite well but still felt my approach was erratic.

Indeed, the next height of 2.29m became by downfall. I had 3 consecutive failures and I remember walking back to my seat and thinking 'my Olympics are over'...I was distraught. I had noticed that quite a few jumpers had failed to clear 2.25m including the much-fancied Swede Linus Thornblad and World Champion Donald Thomas. I was certain though, that I would not finish in the top 12 and book a place in the final. 16 competitors jumped 2.29m last year to reach the final, so I was surely miss out. However, the fast track was causing problems for not just myself as only 8 men managed to clear 2.29m.

I suddenly had a slight sense of renewed hope as I looked at the scoresheet from my pool and saw that I had finished 6th. I then went to check out the results of the other qualification pool with a new sense of urgency and saw that 6 people had beaten me. This meant that i had scraped through in 12th place as the last qualifier. I still had to ask fellow Brits Martyn Bernard and Germaine Mason to double check and triple check the maths and that I had actually qualified. When Olympic Champion Stefan Holm shook my hand and congratulated me on making the final, the sense of relief was huge and I almost burst into tears. Germaine and Martyn also made the final, and for the first time ever 'Team GB' would have more than one athlete in a high jump final, and the only country that could boast 3 in the final. Once more, like in Osaka, all 3 Americans failed to reach the final.

As we walked off the track my family looked heartbroken as they had also presumed I had not made the final and my girlfriend motioned a 'chin-up' in my direction! My mum later told me that she cried when she thought I hadn't made it, and then cried again when she realised I had made it. Mind you, she cries when someone gets run-over on Coronation Street!

Before the final, I did some video analysis of my qualifying jumps and realised I was going too deep on my curve, and travelling along the bar too much as a result. Instead of landing in the middle of the mat, I was almost landing on the grass! As I warmed-up for the final, my practice jumps felt much better although I was taking off too close to the mat again, and so took my run-up back a further 3 footsteps.

I felt more relaxed and the nerves that I suffered during qualifying, were no longer affecting me. Instead I gained confidence from the alterations to my approach run. My entourage all sat together in the stands and donned their 'jump high Tom t shirts with my ugly mug sprawled across their chests. I entered the competition at 2.15m again, and cleared it first time. I then jumped 2.20m and 2.25m at the first attempt with good height over the latter. Unfortunately, as the bar went up to 2.29m, the technical demons creeped back in and I failed the 1st attempt as my approach was poor. I then had a decent 2nd attempt, but I mistimed the by back-arch and didn't connect properly at take-off. I still felt relaxed as I ran in for my final attempt and I was sure I would clear the bar. The next thing I knew, I was lying on the mat with that familiar feeling of 'my Olympics are over' but this time it was official. I had completely mistimed my take-off and knew immediately that I would not clear the bar.

I was gutted and just wanted to carry on jumping but unfortunately you only get 3 attempts at each height. It's only fair but I knew I had not done myself justice. After jumping 2.28m comfortably in Macau, I was disappointed not to at least attempt a personal best. The favorite for gold 'Andrey Silnov' went on to win with 2.36m and had a close attempt at a new Olympic record. Britain's Germaine Mason did brilliantly to take the silver with 2.34m, equalling his personal best. I had been jumping consistently higher than him whilst out in Macau, thus increasing my frustration. He jumped well when it mattered most though and was a worthy winner of Britain's first track medal. I had finished 8th, an improvement on my 10th place from the World Championships last year.

As I walked back to the stands to sit with my family, I realised I done o.k, and enjoyed the rest of the night, highlighted by the gold medal winning performance in the by Christine Ohurougu in the 400m. I have realised it is quite difficult to perform well on such a big occasion as many of the lads I have shared a flat with this week have found out. Pole vaulter Steve Lewis had the misfortune of elimination at his opening height, whilst my room-mate Greg Rutherford was disappointed with 10th place in the long jump after being a medal hope. We then all had to console poor Craig Pickering, who was meant to anchor the british 4 x 100m team into a the final with ease but could not see his tape mark on the track and set-off too early, resulting in a faulty baton change outside of the designated area.

Overall the team has performed well though, and it looks like we will finish with 5 or 6 medals. Most of the team, including myself, have suffered with a cold virus of some description that has slightly taken the wind out of our sails, but we have all enjoyed most aspects of this incredible experience.

Personally, I have had time to visit the famous silk market (where you can have great fun haggling prices down by around 90 percent of the original suggestion), the forbidden city palaces, and will go to the Great Wall once I'm feeling better. I hope to compete at the Gateshead Grand Prix on my return to Britain, and also take part in a few oversees Grand Prix's in an attempt to improve my personal best before the end of the season (late September).

Congratulations to Villa for crushing Man City and I hope it's a sign of things to come. I wore my Villa socks in the final but had them rolled down to comply with contractual law, and not parading the AVFC logo. I still got a stern telling-off by the team manager afterwards, however, as the socks were not official Team GB kit... oops!

See you back in Brum soon guys

Greetings once more from the Westin Resort in Macau.

The Games have begun and the athletics team are flying out to Beijing in staggered intervals, depending on the day each athlete is competing. I would say at least half the team have left Macau and the rest of us are waiting anxiously, excited by the prospect of entering the Olympic Village. We watched the British swimmers bring home 2 medals yesterday. The girls showed an incredible display of power and determination, coupled with some classic, high-pitched commentary, some of which could only be heard by dolphins. Goose-bumps galore!

There has been little drama over the last few days here in Macau and everyone looks in fantastic shape... probably due to a mixture of healthy eating, hot weather, and the scrupulous monitoring of body weight. However, some of the team coaches seem intent on making the most of the abundance of free food and are struggling to maintain their Spartan bodies! Last night some of us had a swim and a jacuzzi and then chatted in the 'gentleman's room', discussing gentlemanly topics. We did not indulge ourselves in drinking brandy or puffing on cigars though, you needn't worry.

From a personal perspective, the last week has gone even better than i could have imagined. My second jump session was very pleasing as i was only given one jump at each height before the bar was raised. I cleared 2.15m, 2.20m, 2.25m and 2.28m all at the first attempt and had close attempts at 2.31m and 2.33m. The 2.28m clearance was very good as the camcorder slow-motion footage showed I was probably 5 or 6 cm clear of the bar. My previous best in training was 2.24m so I was obviously delighted. This is a huge improvement on last year and jumping like that on the day should qualify me for the Olympic final.

Yesterday, I completed my last jumps session in the pouring rain. This also gave me great confidence as I was unsure of my mental ability to cope with these kind of conditions. I have been jumping with fellow Brit Germaine Mason, and I am confident that we are both capable of competing well in the Qualifying round on Sunday 17th August. Before then, I shall do an activation weights session to get my muscles firing. I will stay in a positive mindset, knowing that all the hard work has been done, and the opportunity to express myself in front of millions of people has arrived.

I have washed my Villa socks after their magical powers helped me set that new training record. They were given to me buy a friend who is recovering from ruptured cruciate ligaments and has been unable to compete for over a year. Hopefully they are lucky for me, but I'd like to think I wont need luck. Hope all is well back home. Hi to my family, friends and all those with 'a support Tom Parsons' sticker at Aston University! I hope to make you proud.

Tom Parsons

Greetings from the Team GB preparation camp in Macau. I travelled well and managed to do a decent training session following a good night's sleep on the first day. However, last night I was still awake at 3am as my body clock struggles to adapt to its new routine.

I'm not the only one struggling though, as my room mate Greg Rutherford (long jumper) was also wide awake till the early hours.

In fact, he is still fast asleep as I write this message from the darkness of our hotel room at 12.25pm! I may have to wake him soon as otherwise he won't get to sleep again tonight. He had a tough day yesterday though, as he was forced to miss his Grandads funeral and they are a very close family.

We have been friends for a while so its good to have someone to talk to... at 3am! Yesterday, we were unable to train due to the onset of a typhoon. Therefore, we had to suffer the consequences of being stranded in a 5 star hotel. I managed to struggle through this ordeal with the help of a Jacuzzi, 11 unbeaten games of pool and some sweet and sour pork!

I will go to the track later this evening to do a jumps session with my coach Fayyaz Ahmed and practice jumping in the rain, which looks like it could be settled in for a while. I will try not to spike myself today, as this seems to be a running theme of late, and I am accumulating an impressive array of scars.

Like all the athletes I am doing a pre-recorded interview in about an hour's time for the BBC in case they need some footage whilst the Games are being broadcast. That reminds me...I need to go and have a shave as I am starting to look like Tom Hanks from Cast Away.

Anyway, I hope all is well back home and Villa have signed lots of World Class players (or any for that matter!). Thanks for all your support and I will try and write to you again soon,