NORTH Yorkshire one-lap sprinter Richard Buck is determined not to let injury get in the way of his chase for a Commonwealth Games medal.

The 19-year-old Nestl Rowntree runner from Pickering flies Down Under tonight to start a month of preparation ahead of his first ever crack at a major senior competition.

But another injury shadow will be flying with him as he battles against a problem with his right hamstring.

He said: "I had a niggle just before the indoor international in Vienna. We thought a back problem had thrown off both hamstrings but when the back naturally relaxed it was just the right hamstring.

"They've literally been throwing everything at it: soft tissue massage, ultra sound, electrotherapy, acupuncture - the lot. I've also got a carefully balanced training programme with hydro therapy pool sessions."

It's not the first time Buck is heading into a major championships short of ideal preparation.

He started the Commonwealth Youth Games in December 2004, in Bendigo, with ankle ligament problems but still won bronze, while a disabling bout of appendicitis failed to get in the way of his part in the gold winning 4x400m squad at the European Junior Championships last summer.

Since being called into the squad to replace Graham Hedman six weeks ago - another injury victim - Buck has had his sights set on hitting an eye-catching 400m time.

But everything is now geared to regaining full fitness in his leg to give everything to the English team cause in a team with genuine medal aspirations.

He said: "I have decided to focus my attention solely on the relay. I was looking at running some fast times before the games started but given my hamstring and the physio's advice I'm just going to make sure there's no one in front that pulls away from me, stay in a reasonable position and if I can do that, that will be a big help.

"I'm pretty inexperienced at a senior level so it is all a huge lesson for me."

After landing in Australia, Buck returns to his rehabilitation programme with a first warm-up race scheduled for March 9. He is due to enter the athlete village around the start of the games on March 15 and then everything is about March 25 - the penultimate day of competition and the first 4x400m heats.

He added: "I'm excited but I'm trying to keep everything inside and really focus on the task. I don't want to get any nerves or excitement right up until the 25th."

Javelin thrower David Parker, whose parents Liz and Phil live in Shiptonthorpe, is also in the England team.

The 25-year-old won the World Junior Championship in 1998 and silver in the European juniors the following year when he was a West Ayton, near Scarborough, schoolboy.

He is a member of the Shaftesbury Harriers club.

Updated: 10:05 Thursday, March 02, 2006