Grabarz ready and raring to go head to head with high jump rivals

While the Olympic Games in Rio will be the high point of the summer, there promises to be plenty of intriguing battles beforehand between the world's leading high jumpers.

After a period of injury since London 2012, Grabarz is shaping up to be in the mix after winning world indoor silver in Portland earlier this year.

He will get the chance to show what he can do on home soil too with the Birmingham Diamond League taking place on Sunday June 5.

Grabarz, Canada's world champion Derek Drouin and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar, all jumped 2.29m four years ago to share Olympic bronze.

And they will be joined in the Midlands showdown by London silver medallist Erik Kynard of the USA, with current world indoor champion Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy also heading to Birmingham.

"Others will probably disagree but I believe the men's high jump is the most exciting event in track and field in 2016," Grabarz told British Athletics.

“The quality of the event is amazing. We have the best in the world coming to Birmingham for the Diamond League and people will get to see what I mean.

“It's an incredible event with remarkable athletes performing amazing feats. The competition at world level is driving up standards.

“I've had a difficult four years since London but I'm now back in form and ready to use the Birmingham Diamond League as my launch pad to the Rio Olympics. The others need to watch out because I'm the comeback kid and ready to take on the world."

Sportsbeat 2016