STEVE BACKLEY remained upbeat despite a disappointing performance in the Norwich Union British Grand Prix at Gateshead on Sunday.

The Cambridge Harrier failed to reach the 80m mark in blustery conditions in his first competition of the season as he warms up for this summer’s Olympic Games in Athens.

Backley’s furthest effort of 79.02m left him in fourth place, behind Russian Aleksandr Ivanov’s 85.74m.

The Sidcup-born thrower said: “I wasn't great but the conditions were not fantastic. The main thing, as we know from experience, that what happens at this end of the season is not the same as what happens later.”