TO PREPARE for what is arguably the biggest season of her career so far, Britain s top female javelin thrower Goldie Sayers is heading off to Finland and then South Africa. The 24-year-old Ely-based Olympian will be competing in the World Championships in

TO PREPARE for what is arguably the biggest season of her career so far, Britain's top female javelin thrower Goldie Sayers is heading off to Finland and then South Africa.

The 24-year-old Ely-based Olympian will be competing in the World Championships in Japan in August and September and preparing for the 2008 Olympic Games in China, so will be looking for some big performances after a disappointing 2006.

Throughout a season plagued with injury and illness, Sayers was unable to continue her progress of throwing a personal best every year since she started competing at senior level.

Sayers said: "I need to perform next year, not just for Great Britain but for myself. I've had a very frustrating time but I need to put all of that behind me and get back to my best."

Armed with a new coach, former Great Britain javelin thrower Mark Roberson, and with no serious injury worries, Sayers heads to the famous sports institute and training centre in Kuortane, Finland on New Year's Day.

She said: "Finland is the home of javelin throwing. The sport is taken very seriously there and they treat javelin throwers like premier league footballers. The facilities are excellent, I will be able to train indoors, and I will be competing with some of the very best in the world every day, which is something I can't do in Britain. It will give me an extra competitive edge to my training sessions and a really good opportunity to test my performance levels and see where I am."

After spending a week in Finland, Sayers will return home for two days before flying to warmer climates in Potchefstroom in the north-west of South Africa for 11 days. She will meet up some of her Great Britain team-mates, and her long-time friend and rival, 2006 Commonwealth gold medallist, South African Sunnette Viljoen, for further training.

She said: "People will probably read this and just think I'm going away for a holiday with my friends, but that's not the case. It will be great for camaraderie to meet up with everyone, but there will be a lot of hard work to do. The conditions will be perfect for javelin throwing so I should be able to reach some great distances, and that's the main reason for going."

She added: "I'm very happy at the moment. Everything's going well with my new coach, I've known him for 10 years, so he knows my technique and rhythm very well and he's there every day to keep me motivated. I feel like I've had a new lease of life and I can't wait to start competing.