Michael Johnson tells British 2012 hopefuls to shut out home distractions

American sprinting legend Michael Johnson has told Britain's athletes their best chance of success at London 2012 is to shut themselves away from the party.

Johnson, who won four Olympic gold medals, experienced a home Olympics in Atlanta in 1996 and claims British athletes may have to "insulate themselves" from the distractions.

He said: "To represent your country at home is very special and not very many athletes get the opportunity to do that at a home Olympics.

"But from a competition standpoint it does pose some potential dangers of getting a little too comfortable, and you have family members and other people wanting tickets.

"Shockingly, someone will call you just before you are about to compete and ask for tickets. Those kind of things happen.

"You have to answer those things yourself, because you are at home you can lose that edge a little bit. Absolutely you have to be in a kind of bubble."

Johnson said in many ways he enjoyed the experience of Sydney in 2000 more than Atlanta.

Johnson added: "As great as it was a to have the Olympics in Atlanta, my memory of that Games was of my hotel room and the track. I wasn't able to take in the atmosphere as I was competing every day and I couldn't go out on to the street.

"I have great memories on the track in Atlanta but if you take Sydney, my last Olympics, I have great memories of walking around the city and the atmosphere. It wasn't my home town and I wasn't the face of the Games like I was in Atlanta."