British athletics chief Charles van Commenee has backed Christine Ohuruogo to come good as the Olympic 400-metre champion struggles to rediscover her best form.

The 27-year-old sprinter has not managed to break 50 seconds since her victory in the final in Beijing three years ago and her current season’s best of 51.49secs has left her outside the top 30.

Ohuruogo, who has struggled with a quadriceps injury this season which also disrupted her running in 2010, finished last in the London Grand Prix meeting at Crystal Palace last weekend.

However, UK Athletics head coach van Commenee believes Ohuruogo is on the right track as she prepares for this month’s World Championships in Daegu, with London 2012 the long-term goal.

“Obviously there are concerns, but it is probably a phase that she has to go through,” Van Commenee said.

“She hasn’t performed really well for the last few years and it is not as if you go from place 30 straight onto the rostrum again.

“You have to go through some painful experiences like in Crystal Palace. She is on the way up in preparation for London especially, but Daegu fits in that pathway towards the Games.”

Van Commenee also praised Ohuruogo’s willingness to put her poor form under the microscope of a home crowd.

“It’s quite courageous to expose yourself in your back garden to the rest of the world and then not do yourself justice in that particular competition, but that comes with elite sport,” Van Commenee said.

“In the end she is an Olympic champion preparing for a home Olympic Games and there are 12 months to go.

“I think she’s fit, but she’s lacking shape. I think it’s important that she races and she and her coach are of the same opinion.”

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