• London Olympics 2012

Holmes backs GB for London 2012 medal haul

Dame Kelly Holmes feels Team GB are well placed to shine at next summer's Olympics © PA Photos

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Dame Kelly Holmes is convinced Britain's athletes have enough quality to bring home eight medals at next year's Olympic Games in London.

Expectation levels for Team GB are huge and the athletes served notice of their quality by bagging seven medals at the World Championships in South Korea.

With a partisan crowd driving them on next summer, Holmes feels eight medals is a target well within reach for squad.

"I think eight medals is attainable," Holmes told Sky Sports News. "It is a case of not putting too much pressure on, but when you get a Games on home turf it really elevates the competition and the performance and I do believe the team are stronger than they have been before in terms of depth.

"If you get people in finals, fit and injury free then anything can happen."

Hannah England brought home a brilliant silver in the 1500 metres at the World Championships and Holmes, as her mentor, is looking to instil belief into the 24-year-old.

"For Hannah the key is keeping her head strong and getting back to working on her inner confidence and belief and to realise she is one of the best athletes in the world," Holmes said. "When it comes to the Olympic Games, it is a whole new thing. World Championships are one thing, you are up against the best, but when you get to the Olympics so many more people are focused on the Olympics being their dream.

"What Hannah has to do is run consistently around the four-minute mark to confirm her a world-class athlete.

"I would not put a medal round her neck at the moment as the expectation can be huge, but if she gets to the final then she is definitely a contender."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.