The 32-year-old American won Olympic gold in Beijing four years ago having secured the silver medal in 2004 during the prestigious games in Athens.

A bronze medal would give Clay the complete set, however, the Texas-born athlete is aiming for top spot and eclipsing the two gold medals Daley Thompson CBE won for Great Britain.

Thompson won back-to-back golds at Moscow and Los Angeles, but could only manage fourth in Seoul in 1988, meaning no decathlete has secured three medals - a feat Clay now wants to accomplish.

Gold

"I'll take a bronze, but I don't want the bronze. I'd love to win another gold medal, I think that'd be great," he told Sky Sports News HD. "Of course that would make me the only decathlete to win three medals.

"I think Daley Thompson was the closest to winning three medals, so we'll see. I'm sure I'll have the chance to chat with Daley and I might have to give a little bit of a hard time about that," he joked.

"I'm so blessed to have this opportunity and it's been so much fun. I couldn't ask for anything more."

This summer's Games are just over three months away and Clay admits injuries are a worry, although he is confident he can manage his body from now until the end of July.

"I think (injuries) are something you're always concerned with, but I think that's at any point in an Olympic year," he continued. "You're very concerned about illness or even injuries.

"You try to do the best job you can in managing that. You try to be very careful and listen to your body as much as you can. Take the recovery days when you need to take them or when your body is telling you to take them.

Smart

"If you stick the plan and be smart about it you can get through the year without any setbacks.

"Training is going very, very well. I had to take some time off in order to come out here for media work, but for the most part training is going well.

"We're right on schedule, in fact ahead of schedule in some of my events. We've opened up some Meets and things which have gone very well. I'm really excited and looking forward to being out here this summer."

Not everyone has the tools and attributes to complete in the decathlon and Clay believes the discipline chooses who will compete, rather than vice versa.

"I think the decathlon is something that really chooses you. When you realise you have the ability to do the decathlon as opposed to maybe just focusing on one event it's something that's intriguing.

"You start it and you try it and before you know it you're hooked. There's nothing you can do about it. You're hooked," he concluded.