SAINTS midfielder Jack Cork insists he is determined to appreciate every moment of his Olympic experience after suffering terrifying heart problems last year.

Cork, currently with the Team GB Olympic football team, suffered the ordeal while playing for England under-21s in March 2011, just a few months before he moved to Saints. He was competing against Iceland in Preston when his heart started racing, even going as high as three beats per second while resting.

Cork was hospitalised overnight while medics sought to get the problem under control.

Thankfully, there were no lasting repercussions for Cork but, after the cardiac arrest suffered by Fabrice Muamba, pictured, last season, it has put everything into perspective for the 22-year-old ahead of his experience of a lifetime at London 2012. “Things like that do bring it back to you about what a great opportunity you’ve got,” said Cork, left.

“You can’t take anything for granted because you might not be here tomorrow.

“It does make you think how lucky you are to be involved in a set-up like this.

“I played for the Under- 21s at Preston against Iceland and I don’t know if it was viral thing, but I remember going through the first half and thinking my heart was beating so fast.

“I was asked if I could see it through to half-time, but I remember just aching.

“My heart rate wouldn’t come down and I was having palpitations and had to go to hospital.

“I stayed overnight and eventually my heart-rate came down.

“It was a bit scary, but it’s all sorted again. If it happens again, that’s when you start to worry.

“Luckily for me, mine wasn’t as nearly as bad as [Fabrice] Muamba’s, but it was horrible to see what happened to him on the pitch and hearing everything about it.

“He’s alright now though hopefully.”

Cork and his other Team GB colleagues play their first friendly against Brazil on Friday at Middlesbrough ahead of their first Olympic match with Senegal on July 26.

They then go on to face UAE and Uruguay in their other group stage games.