Dwain Chambers is hoping the pressure of trying to secure an Olympic place would bring out the best in him at the 100 metres trials in Birmingham.
Chambers is ranked just eighth in Britain this year and has not yet recorded an Olympic 'A' standard qualifying time of 10.18 seconds that would allow him to seal a place in London by finishing in the top two in Saturday evening's 100 metres final.
But the 34-year-old is aiming to come good when it comes to the crunch at the Alexander Stadium.
"I want to run fast but I'll just have to do the best I can with the resources I've got and just go for it," Chambers said. "It's situations like this when I run my best so I've got to be at my best.
"The main thing is I want to get through the championships in one piece and hopefully that enables me to secure the qualifying time. Normally I'm on the top (of the national rankings) so it is a bit daunting that I'm lower down, but I've just got to take each day as it comes.
"Things have happened that have not enabled me to have a smooth journey but I've got to put that to one side and do a good job this weekend."
All of the major contenders came safely through the heats on Friday evening, including teenager Adam Gemili and James Dasaolu, who are the only athletes with the 'A' standard.
Gemili won his heat in 10.27s, while Dasaolu was happy enough to settle for second in his heat in 10.45s.
Another close contest is expected in the men's 400m hurdles, with world champion Dai Greene joined in the final by the four other men who have achieved the 'A' standard - Nathan Woodward, Rhys Williams, Jack Green and Richard Yates.
The Welshman, who recently revealed he underwent knee surgery in December, said: "It hasn't been a perfect start to the season but things are getting better. I'm still on track for peaking in the summer. Training-wise things have improved massively. I can feel myself getting better all the time. I feel like I have turned the corner."