Shot-putter Dylan Armstrong a big man looking to over come a huge disappointment at London Olympics

He's a big man looking to overcome a huge disappointment because of a minuscule measurement.

Shot-putter Dylan Armstrong missed a medal by less than a centimetre at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It's taken four years and plenty of work but the 31-year-old from Kamloops, B.C., will be looking to cover the distance to the podium when track and field begins Friday at the London Olympic Games.

Armstrong and heptathlon medal hopeful Jessica Zelinka of London, Ont., will be among the nine Canadians participating on the first day of competition.

Armstrong comes to London ranked seventh in the world in shot put. A mountain of man at six-foot-four and 345 pounds, he believes there are up to six throwers who could win medals. Americans Christian Cantwell, Reese Hoffa and Ryan Whiting are ranked in the top three.

"Dylan Armstrong had a personal best in one of his training sessions, he is ready,'' Alex Gardiner, the track team's head coach, said in a news release. "He has a routine he has followed the past five years. He has been in the ring before, he has his process and procedure down. He loves what he is doing and is confident."

Armstrong has battled back from an elbow injury that kept him out of the final at the world indoor championships. His best throw this year is 21.50 metres, which is off his Canadian record of 22.21 set last year.

"He's healthy," Gardiner told The Canadian Press. "The elbow problem he had is gone. He's protecting his energy right now."

Armstrong, who trained in Portugal to prepare for the Games, believes he will need to throw at least 22 metres to reach the podium.

"I can definitely do that,'' he said. "I am hoping for big things.''

The gruelling two-day, seven-event heptathlon begins with the 100-metre hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200 metres. Zelinka, the mother of a three-year-old, set a Canadian record score of 6599 points at the Olympic trials in Calgary. She heads into the Games ranked fourth in the world.

Zelinka will also lead a strong team of Phylicia George of Markham, Ont., and Nikkita Holder of Pickering, Ont., into the 100-metre hurdles. Zelinka won the hurdles at the Canadian championships in a chaotic final that saw former world champion Perdita Felicien disqualified and 2008 bronze medallist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep finish fifth after hitting a hurdle.

The hurdles qualification begins two days after the heptathlon.

"We have three women in the event, they represent a future for us,'' said Les Gramantik, one of the track team coaches. " It will be a tight competition, it is why we play the game.

"Jessica Zelinka is 100 per cent ready to go. Pressure is a privilege. A lot of people would love to feel pressure, but they are not here"

Also competing Friday is hammer thrower Jim Steacy of Lethbridge, Alta. The Canadian record holder is one of seven Olympic veterans on the team of 45 athletes. He finished 10th in Beijing.

His sister Heather will compete in the women's hammer throw.

For the first time since 1996 Canada will have three men racing the marathon. Reid Coolsaet of Hamilton, Ont., Eric Gillis of Antigonish, N.S., and Dylan Wykes of Kingston, Ont., all qualified for the Games.

"These guys are ready, they are very well coached and very prepared,'' said Martin Goulet, Athletic Canada's high performance director. "I wouldn't be surprised if one made the top 12..''

Lopes-Schliep won Canada's lone track medal in Beijing. Armstrong and middle-distance runner Gary Reed finished fourth while Zelinka was fifth in the heptathlon.

The track team's goal is three medals in London and six to eight top-eight finishes.

Armstrong is a legitimate threat in shot put while Zelinka has a chance in heptathlon.