By Ian Gordon, PA Sport, Paris

Britain's Chris Tomlinson is hoping to repay legendary long jumper Lynn Davies by seizing an unexpected medal at the World Championships in Paris.

The 6ft 6in Teessider, who ended the 1964 Olympic champ's 34-year reign as British record holder last year, has revealed the inspirational support he received from Davies when he was struggling with fitness and form this season.

"Lynn has spoken to me on quite a few occasions," said Tomlinson of Davies, who will be in the stadium as president of UK Athletics.

"He was really helpful when I was injured and really feeling down.

"He just told me to 'Keep my chin up, everyone has bad days, it's how you handle them that matters'.

"Until I came into the sport I didn't really appreciate what he had done in a British vest in major championships, it was years before I was born. Now I do.

"But Lynn is also a great guy, really down to earth, and when I broke his British record he sent me a letter of congratulations."

Tomlinson had been unable this season to capture the form that saw him soar out to 8.27m in Florida last April as he struggled with one injury after another. Not until the qualifying round at the Stade de France that is.

The 21-year-old suddenly produced a jump of 8.16m with his first effort, having so written off his own chances that he planned a sight-seeing tour of Paris.

It made Tomlinson the first British male to reach a long jump final at the worlds - there was no such competition in Davies' day - with only Spain's Yago Lamela ahead of him, though six other men also passed the eight-metre mark.

"When I broke the British record I thought this long jumping lark is pretty easy," said Tomlinson. "I thought I would be jumping 8.50m by the end of the season but when you get an injury your confidence goes.

"I have had so many injuries this year that when they put me in the team I thought I would just come for the experience, so to get to the final is just fantastic.

"Lamela has jumped 8.53m this year and jumped 8.19m first time out here so he has got to be the out-and-out favourite. I think it will need 8.45m to beat him, but as for the other medals that it is very open."