Two-time Olympian Jon Eley admits his performances since the turn of the year have given him the belief that he can reach a career high at this week’s World Short Track Speed Skating Championships.
The 28-year-old competed in all six World Cup rounds this season, taking to the ice in all eight of the scheduled 500m races and ranking 12th in the final overall standings with 1216 points.
Eley’s best result came in the first of two races in Montreal in October where he won the B final to place fifth however he couldn’t follow up on it in the second race or the two rounds before Christmas.
However after the turn of the year Eley placed sixth and seventh in the two 500m races at the Olympic test event in Sochi in February before ranking 12th at the World Cup finale in Dresden a week later.
He will compete individually as well as in the 5000m relay at the World Championships as Britain send a seven-strong team headed up by ladies’ 1000m World Cup champion Elise Christie to Hungary.
Eley claimed relay bronze at the World Championships in 2008 with his best individual finish sixth in the 500m in 2011 and 2005 and he is more confident that ever ahead of his outing in Debrecen.
“The last two World Cups I’ve got back on form so I’m thinking these Championships could be my best yet,” said Eley, who placed sixth in the 500m at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics after a fifth at Turin 2006.
“And what Elise has achieved this season has given everyone on the team a lot of confidence and it makes us believe we can be that successful too.”
© Sportsbeat 2013