NEWPORT-based sprinter Darren Campbell has shelved plans for retirement after enduring a disastrous 2004 Athens Olympics.

The former 200m Olympic silver medallist was determined to end his glittering career on a high at the championships, but his poor performances, coupled with stinging criticism from BBC pundits Colin Jackson and Michael Johnson, have caused him to perform a u-turn.

Campbell has been blasted by Jackson and Johnson for entering the championships out of shape, Johnson doubting the seriousness of his hamstring injury.

"I've been blessed in the past with a lot of good times and lot of good success but I got injured and it wasn't to be," said Campbell.

"Contrary to what people have said on TV, I'm not out of shape. And to be ridiculed like that I just find slightly offensive. After everything I have achieved I don't think I warrant those type of comments because in the past I've always done the best I can do for Great Britain and always won medals.

"But they won't deter me. I had always planned to retire after these games but I've had such a bad Olympics I'm going to have to rethink that and come back in four years time.

"I've learnt a lot from these games about people and I've got to try to take the positives out of this.

"When you get these pundits out there who are supposed to be our friends and helping us on saying these things, then it does hurt.

"It would have been easy for me to pull out but I'm not a quitter, so I ran despite being injured."

Campbell, 30, had been privately fuming at Jackson and Johnson's comments for a week.

On Tuesday he launched an off-the-record tirade against the pair and on Wednesday night he almost came to blows with Johnson after the pair bumped into each at an MTV party in Athens.

At one point Campbell had his bags packed and was ready to go home. Only after a heart-to-heart with his girlfriend did he decide to stay.

He said: "I spoke to my girlfriend after the first round. I was in a lot of pain and I was crying on my bed and she was telling me to come home and I was going to. It hurt that much and then you get people saying you're running poorly because you are out of shape when they know I'm injured.

"But then I thought, 'this is the Olympics, I'll run through the pain barrier' and I reached the semis. Had it not been for the doctors I wouldn't be standing here."