While cycling, rowing, sailing and swimming excelled during the Games in Beijing the athletes failed to hit the target of five medals set by National Lottery distributor UK Sport.

 

They won four medals, but Ohuruogu's victory in the 400 metres was the only gold.

 

The poor performance led to performance director Dave Collins being replaced by Dutchman Charles van Commenee, who has taken over in a new role as head coach.

 

Ohuruogu said: "I believe that we should have got more medals than we did and we didn't for whatever reason.

 

"There is a lot more to come from the GB athletics team, it might not happen this year but it will happen soon."

 

The 23-year-old Londoner, born and bred within walking distance of the site of the Olympic Park in Stratford, is already planning the defence of her title in four years where it looks like she will be facing a new threat after American Allyson Felix today hinted heavily that she will make the step up to challenge Ohuruogu over one-lap in 2012.

 

The Californian, 22, won a gold medal in the 4x400m relay and a silver in the 200m, the second consecutive Games she has finished second in that event.

 

She admitted today that her dream is an indvidual gold medal.

 

Felix said: "I have to wait four more years to accomplish my ultimate goal so in the meantime I'm exploring what my focus will be until then.

 

“I'm seriously considering concentrating on the longer sprints."

 

Felix was used last year by Adidas to launch their £100 million sponsorship of the 2012 Olympics and is being groomed as the new face of the sport, particuarly in the United States.

 

Felix, who is trained by Bob Kersee, the former coach of Florence Griffith-Joyner, has little experience of running the 400m but her personal best of 49.70sec is very close to Ohuruogu's best of 49.61.

 

But Ohuruogu, having seen off Felix's team-mate Sanya Richards in Beijing and the 2007 World Championships, when the American was the overwhelming favourite on each occasion, to prove what a fantastic competitor she is, is not worrying yet about who she may face in 2012.

 

She said: "Our careers are so fickle that you don't know what will happen tomorrow let alone in four years' time.

 

"So the main aim is to keep on being healthy, keep on being fit, keep on training and who knows what will happen in 2012."