Injury-prone Crawley athlete Nick Buckfield is adamant he is not yet a member of the world's elite.

One of Britain's brightest hopes for a gold medal in next week's European Indoor Championships has been playing down his new-found position after twice breaking the United Kingdom record in the last few weeks.

Buckfield insisted: "I know I can jump six metres, but until I do I will not consider myself amongst the world elite. However, my training tells me I am going in that direction."

The 28-year-old raised his own British mark to 5.81 metres, a centimetre higher than he has vaulted outdoors, in Bad Segeberg near Hamburg ten days ago.

He has also received an invitation from Sergei Bubka, the greatest pole vaulter of all time, to take part in an invitation meeting in the Ukraine.

Buckfield said: "I was deeply honoured when Sergei Bubka asked me to compete in the annual all-stars meeting he is organising in Donetsk on Sunday."

Buckfield is using the trip as a final preparation competition before leading his country's challenge for medals when Vienna hosts the biannual championships from March 1 to 3.

Buckfield is happy to reflect on how a brand new world has opened for him in less than a month.

His career has been plagued with injuries that include a broken pelvis.

He said: "I have never given up the will to succeed. I have always believed in myself although others might not have done so."

In Vienna, Buckfield believes the biggest challenge will come from the Germans.

Buckfield said: "Their best man indoors has been Richard Spiegelburg. They also have Danny Ecker who jumped six metres before injuring himself last year. But you can never tell.

"In the pole vault people keep coming out of the woodwork. But I do think the main threat will come from the Germans."

Buckfield is one of four Britons currently heading the European ranking lists.

Jason Gardener, Christian Malcolm and evergreen Colin Jackson in the 60 metres, 200m and 60m hurdles, are the remaining trio.