THE countdown to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will start ticking for Danny Talbot tomorrow, writes Kevin Fahey.

The Trowbridge Tornado is currently warm-weather training in Florida with his new coach Benke Blomkvist but he will take a break from his daily regime to race over 100m at the Tom Jones Invitational Meeting in Gainesville.

“I am opening up over 100m as we decided we need to focus on my starts and speed at the start of the season, especially having not having done an indoor season,” said Talbot.

“Also, there will be less pressure than if I opened up in the 200m for my first race of the year.

“I shall probably wait until Ostrava at the end of May to run my first 200m.

“For the moment, it is just important to start racing again and going through the routine.

“I am really looking forward to that after all the hard training.”

While Talbot’s relationship with his new coach is still very much in its infancy after several years with Bath-based Dan Cossins, he is happy with the way things are progressing since deciding to re-locate to Loughborough.

“To be honest, the training has not been dissimilar to the sessions I used to do with Dan,” added Talbot.

“But I am doing a lot more technical work.

“Yes, I did that with Dan as well, but it is more intensive now and the volume has gone up under Benke.

“I had a good group at Bath but now I am training with Thomas Somers, Richard Kielty and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey. I have fitted into the group really well.

“We are similar personalities and have gelled well together. The dynamics are very good.”

Talbot admitted that working with former World Indoor 60m champion Kielty has been a real bonus and he is definitely feeling the benefits.

“Working with Richard means my starts are going really at the moment,” said Talbot.

“The Tom Jones meeting will be interesting with me doing the 100m and Richard the 200m.

“His focus is the 100m and mine is, of course, the 200m, so we both have our own long-term aims but working together is helping us both.”