Newport’s Christian Malcolm is heading to Beijing, which could become a final appearance in more ways than one as he ponders reaching the big 200m showdown in China and on whether he will be there or not for the 2012 London Games.

But he is determined to bow out at the top of his game, explaining: “These are my third Olympics and, I’m not saying I’m over the hill, but I’m coming close now.

“This is it, really. I have got to make a go of it. Where I will be in 2012, I don’t know but I’ve got to run out there like this is my last championships. I’m going to give it my all.”

His 200m rival Marlon Devonish is three years older than Malcolm yet he has been in the form of his life in recent years.

The Eveswell pace ace added: “I would like to think 2012 is possible but it is always going to be difficult doing this week in and week out. More to the point, financially, it is difficult to be a full-time athlete.

“Whether I’m still on Lottery-funding or not I don’t know but it would be difficult to carry on without it.

“I’m training hard and I’ve got a family.

I know 2012 would be my swan song so I will take it year by year.

“I’ll be happy if I can have another two or three years of being injury-free and being able to apply myself on the track as I’ve always said I want to fulfil my potential - I still feel like that.

“I’m definitely hungry. I’ve not lost that hunger. As you grow older, you see certain obstacles in your way and, when you are 21 or 22, you just run.

You don’t think you are going to be hit by injuries, you think you are indestructible.

When you have a few years of injuries, it does make you go a little cautious and think ‘Am I going to be alright?’ That’s why I take it race by race.”

So he wants to give it his best shot this time around, adding: “I’ve got to get my race rhythm. Training rhythm is great but I’ve got to learn to race and get that timing. That was the major thing.”

Beijing could not have come quickly enough after the 2004 misery either, Malcolm suffering a kidney infection of the eve of the games.

“Athens was a big blow for me” he said. “I have been waiting four years to get into Beijing and, hopefully, I’ll be ready to go. That’s the plan.