Eight medals a fair target - Greene

Athletics team captain Dai Greene believes one of Britain's best squads for years can achieve their target of eight medals at the London Olympics.

World champion Greene is expected to lead by example with a medal in the 400 metres hurdles, with a personal best in Paris last Friday erasing doubts about his fitness after a knee operation over the winter.

And with the likes of Mo Farah (5,000 and 10,000 metres), Jessica Ennis (heptathlon) and Phillips Idowu (triple jump) all strong bets to add to the medal haul, Greene is confident the "fair" target can be attained.

Speaking ahead of this weekend's London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace, the 26-year-old Welshman said: "I think it's one of our best teams in a long time.

"I think we've been getting steadily better in hitting our medal targets. We don't have massive numbers, it's more quality than quantity and we have a good mix of youngsters and experience, it's a good balance.

"People like Holly Bleasdale are so young and performing so well, Robbie Grabarz (high jump) has come out of nowhere and seems to be handling it all very well. It's great to see that.

"The feel is that the team has done better than in previous years already this season and it's about putting the icing on the cake in London."

Asked specifically about achieving eight medals, Greene added: "As long as I don't have to get all of them.

"Charles (van Commenee, UK Athletics head coach) wouldn't say it if he didn't think we could attain it. He is very harsh but also very fair. If you look at myself, Mo, Jess and Phillips who have picked up medals recently, you also have Robbie, Holly, some of the relays as well.

"All sorts of people could come out of nowhere. Hannah (England) got a medal last year. We could get less or we could get more. You have to have an element of luck I think and hopefully things will go our way. Eight seems very fair and I think we will attain it."