Great Britain's long jumper Chris Tomlinson has vowed not to retire, despite having recently lost his lottery funding.
The 33-year-old was informed last week by UK Athletics that he would no longer receive any funds, mainly because he was not viewed as a realistic medal contender at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
However, Tomlinson has insisted that he is determined to prove the governing body wrong over the coming months.
"The only thing it has done is make me far more enthusiastic, it's a breath of fresh air. When you're funded by UK Athletics as such, they're always telling you that you have to do this or that," he told BBC Tees.
"I got a call from someone at UK Athletics asking what I was going to do now and I quite politely told them it's none of their business.
"I can do what I like now, I'm being coached by my dad and going out training hard in Middlesbrough. I have to go out and do a bit more than I ideally would have liked because of that regular input you get from the lottery."
Tomlinson came sixth at London 2012 and fifth at this summer's Commonwealth Games.
Liam Apicella
