Kelly Sotherton, who describes herself as someone who is neither “wimp” nor “bulls***ter”, plans to use the Olympic podium as the platform to make a plea to clean up athletics. As she prepares for the first heptathlon since she won bronze at last year's World Championships in Japan and promptly labelled Lyudmila Blonska a cheat, the Great Britain athlete reiterated her feelings about her rival from Ukraine.

Never one for mealy-mouthed platitudes, Sotherton said: “I will speak out again because I'm in a situation where I can say how I feel and get an audience. Immediately after the competition is the best time to say it.”

By a quirk of Carolina Klüft's decision to focus on the long jump and triple jump in Beijing, Sotherton versus Blonska could be the duel for a gold medal. If so, Sotherton will assume the moral high ground. “I think you can see by the reactions from the other athletes that we are not interested when she is there,” Sotherton said after Blonska pipped her to the silver in Osaka. “We don't support cheats.”

Under the new IOC rule banning doping offenders from the next Olympics after the expiry of their bans, Blonska, who received a two-year ban for taking stanozolol, would not be in Beijing. However, the rule cannot be applied retrospectively, so she will line up in the 100 metres hurdles when the heptathlon gets the track programme under way tomorrow.

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Why didn't they ring me up before they decided to hold the Olympic Games in Beijing in August? Don't do it, I'd have said

Simon Barnes

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“If she does beat me I'll be upset,” Sotherton, the first of Britain's medal prospects in action, said.

Other Britons in action on the first day include Marilyn Okoro and Andy Baddeley, the middle-distance dark horses, and Jo Pavey who features in the 10,000 metres, the final race of the opening day on the track. But the main focus is on 31-year-old Sotherton, who this time plans to leave the Olympics with a bang rather than being called a wimp.

Britons to watch

Best bet Phillips Idowu (triple jump): With eight body piercings, red hair and swagger, he is no Jonathan Edwards, a vicar's son, but could match his gold-medal return (final, a week today, 1.20pm).

Biggest drama Paula Radcliffe (marathon): If she pulls this off, defying the festering memories of Athens, it will be the Olympic moment (Sunday, 12.30am).

Silver lining Christine Ohuruogu (400 metres): She is the world champion but is up against it as she tries to beat Sanya Richards, of the US (final, Tuesday, 3.10pm).

Long shot Marilyn Okoro (800 metres): She sings in a jazz band and could hit a surprise high note (final, Monday, 2.35pm).

Rising star Greg Rutherford (long jump): Has the talent to explode early (final, Monday, 1.10pm).