Chris Tomlinson claimed the national long jump title at the British Championships at the weekend – and he is hoping to emerge victorious again when he returns to the Olympic Stadium next week.

The Hampstead resident was overshadowed by his former training partner Greg Rutherford at London 2012, settling for sixth in the final as his British rival struck a memorable gold on that storied Super Saturday.

However Rutherford is currently struggling with a hamstring problem and, in his absence, Tomlinson came out on top at the British Championships in Birmingham on Saturday, leaping 8.03m to triumph at the Alexandra Stadium.

“I’m in a good place right now,” he said. “I’m doing everything that I need to. It’s nice to win the British title and that’s a few jumps over eight metres in a week, so that shows my consistency is there.

“I would have liked to go further but the headwind didn’t make it possible to jump really big.”

Next week Tomlinson will compete at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games, which offers a chance for those spectators who didn’t go to London 2012 to visit the Olympic Park.

Then his sights will be trained on the World Championships in Moscow next month – although he has yet to jump the A standard, leaving selectors with a straight choice between him and Rutherford should the latter return to fitness.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to that Olympic Stadium and jumping in front of a full house again,” said Tomlinson.

“The tickets sold out in 45 minutes so the atmosphere is going to be a real reminder of last summer.

“I’m ticking off my goals one at a time. I want to do really well in London and then hopefully it’s all about Moscow.”

Tomlinson’s best jump this season – 8.21m – ranks him 15th in the world this year, but Mexico’s Luis Rivera and Russia’s Aleksandr Menkov have both jumped over 8.40m. But the laid-back 31-year-old is not the sort to get worried by that gap.

“I’m improving all the time,” he added. “The season opened up not too great, but in the last few competitions I’ve jumped better than I’ve ever jumped before, given the conditions.”

Sainsbury’s British Championships is the second event in the Sainsbury’s Summer Series.

For more information on Sainsbury’s support of world class athletics and disability sport go to www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/occasions/anniversary-games/