NEWPORT sprinter Christian Malcolm has declared 2004 as the most important year of his career.

Malcolm gets his season under way this weekend when he competes at the World Indoor Trials at Sheffield's English Institute of Sport.

But this year is all about the 2004 Athens Olympics in August.

And Malcolm, who has just returned from warm weather training in South Africa, knows that it will be a career defining year.

"I'm 24 and am really reaching my peak," said Malcolm.

"Although sprinters can go on until their 30s this is normally the time when sprinters are at their best and by the time the next Olympics come about it's hard to say in what type of shape I'll be.

"So there is no doubting that this will be the most important year of my career.

"It will define whether I go down in history as a decent sprinter or someone that nearly made it."

Malcolm endured a difficult 2003, calling it one of the worst years of his career.

The 200m star knows that he will have to get himself sorted mentally before he can even start thinking about winning a medal in Athens.

"I had so many personal problems last year and I just wasn't mentally right," admitted Malcolm.

"That showed at the World Championships where physically I was in great shape but mentally I wasn't 100 per cent.

"But after that I had more personal problems as well and it really is a year that I want to forget.

"Some people said that I went out to Paris for the World Championships a week too early so it's all about learning lessons from the past and making sure I get my physical and mental preparation spot on for Athens."

Malcolm returns to action this weekend when he will take part in the 60m as well as the 200m.

It will be his first competitive races of the season and he joins fellow Gwent athletics star Jamie Baulch in Sheffield.