Four years ago Nick Buckfield watched the Sydney Olympics from his hospital bed and knew he could have been among the contenders.

He vowed then that he would not miss the Athens Games come hell or high-water and he delivered on that promise.

However, in the build up to these Games there was so nearly a repeat of his misery from four years ago when a freak accident left the British champion pole vaulter in hospital.

A surgeon informed him that he would not be going to Athens and that he would need to wear a colostomy bag for three months Buckfield refused to heed the surgeon's advice and promptly proved him wrong by returning to training three weeks later.

That single-minded determination ensured Buckfield fulfilled his promise by stepping out onto the Olympic track last night.

But when he left it three hours later, the 31-year-old from Crawley was a bitterly disappointed man having failed to qualify for the final.

His 5.60m was only good enough for 21st place as he failed three times at the qualifying height of 5.70.

"I am very disappointed," he said. "But there are mixed emotions because I said to myself four years ago that I would be here and I did that.

"A month-and-a-half ago I was not going to be in Athens and it was going to be Sydney all over again but I wasn't going to allow that.

"It was the most amazing atmosphere out there and I felt in the kind of shape to jump a personal best. Now I just feel completely flat.

"Training has gone really well since the accident and now it feels like I have waited for seven years for nothing."

It was seven years ago in 1997 that Buckfield produced his finest performance, finishing fifth at the World Championships. In Athens his tag of 'medal hopeful' never materialised.

"I have waited a long time to repeat that performance and injury has meant that I haven't been able to fulfil my potential," he added.

"I thought I could be a contender in Sydney and I missed that and I felt I could perform here and didn't.

"But I still have that kind of performance in me and I know that with the right amount of competition and training I can succeed at this level.

"This year I have only been able to do six competitions. Normally I need that before I really get going."

However, despite his dejection Buckfield has no intention of giving up and is already making his plans for the next four years - starting next week.

"I will definitely go on to Beijing. I might have the age of a 30-year-old but I have the body of a 20-year-old and the mind of a teenager, so I am not concerned about being competitive in four years.

"I don't really feel like celebrating at the moment but I will by the weekend. I shall go out and have a good time and then start training again next week.

"The aim will be the World Championships next year and then the Commonwealth Games. But I know I have a 5.90 or six-metre jump in me and I will work to do that."