HEARTBREAK is but a distant memory for Southampton's fit-again 400 metres star Iwan Thomas.

The British one-lap record holder is enjoying three weeks back at his Netley home in between training stints in South Africa and happily admits: "I am the most upbeat I have been in ages."

Notoriously homesick on long overseas stops, the European and Commonwealth champion has so enjoyed his stay at the track and field training base in Potchef-stroom, near Johannesburg, that he's itching to get back out to the sunshine again.

While his first three weeks in South Africa were dedicated entirely to training, his next stop will include three races in the Engen Grand Prix series - in Roodeport (March 16), Pretoria (March 24) and Cape Town (March 30) when he could face Olympic bronze medallist Greg Haughton of Jamaica.

After the injury problems that have plagued him for the last two seasons, Thomas is delighted to have got a trouble-free winter under his belt. Apart from a sore calf muscle, which has now cleared up, and mild shin splints, his body has been in perfect working order.

It's a far cry from the agony of the last two seasons when Thomas's hopes of building on his Budapest and Kuala Lumpur golden days of 1998 were cruelly blighted by injury.

A cyst inside his ankle bone wrecked his World Championship hopes in 1999 and, just when he thought his problems were over, his Olympic dream was shattered by hamstring trouble.

But the physical and emotional pain has subsided and the 27-year-old Welshman is feeling more relaxed and optimistic than he has been in years. "I shan't be putting too much pressure on myself in the races in South Africa," he said.

"I want to get my confidence back and then I can run myself fit in Europe around May/June. I did not run that fast in South Africa in '98 and that was an excellent year.

"I've spent time with javelin boys Steve Backley and Mick Hill which has helped."