Enigmatic Idowu goes out of his way to prove fitness

Phillips Idowu yesterday posted this video of himself in a gym session

Phillips Idowu turned to Twitter yesterday in an attempt to show the world his Olympic hopes are hanging by something more substantial than a thread.

In the wake of the triple-jumper's late withdrawal from the London Grand Prix meeting at Crystal Palace on Saturday, after suffering a hip problem in the warm-up, and a report yesterday that he had hired medical help from outside the UK Athletics system in a bid to get fit for the looming London Games, he posted a video of himself lifting weights in the gym and looking anything but a physical wreck.

It was accompanied by the message: "A Lil squat session to start the day. Can U guess the weight?" Idowu did not specify on which day the video was shot, but the obvious implication was that it was yesterday. If that were the case, he would have made a very swift recovery from the problem that caused the 33-year-old former world champion to back out of the Crystal Palace competition, his last scheduled test before the heats of the men's triple jump in the Olympic Stadium three weeks today. In the clip, he is seen flexing his hips with no difficulty, squatting with a loaded weightlifting bar resting on his shoulders.

UK Athletics refused to comment on the report that Idowu had sought his own medical treatment. Like Radcliffe, Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah, the Londoner is known to have had regular treatment from UK Athletics' widely respected lead for sports science and medicine, Neil Black, a former international middle-distance runner.

It would not be uncommon for a leading British athlete to seek private help – particularly ahead of a major championship. Only two weeks ago Paula Radcliffe flew to Munich to have a foot injury treated by the celebrated German sports doctor, Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt, who also numbers Usain Bolt among his clients. Idowu has not competed since he landed awkwardly during a Diamond League meeting in the US on 2 June. He insisted last week he had not been injured. After the pull-out at the Palace and the video yesterday, it is difficult to know what to think, which is probably how the enigmatic Idowu would like it just over a week away from the opening of the Games.

He posted a video of himself lifting weights in the gym and looking anything but a physical wreck

Phillips Idowu's Twitter post , above, is not the first time an athlete has circulated a training video amid doubts about their fitness.

A year ago, former England footballer Owen Hargreaves posted a series of videos of himself working vigorously in the gym on YouTube.

Hargreaves, right, then 30, had been released by Manchester United three months previously, after making only 27 appearances in four injury-strewn years, and was seeking to attract a new club.

The video appeared to do the trick as the midfielder signed for Manchester City the following month. Unfortunately, Hargreaves only managed four appearances for his new club before being released.