Perri Shakes-Drayton has promised to live up to the hype and match the world's best athletes when the London Grand Prix gets under way at Crystal Palace.

The highly-rated 400m hurdler, who hails from Poplar, has been tipped as one of Team GB's top prospects for gold on the track at London 2012, which begins exactly three years on Monday.

And while she looks set to be overshadowed by the likes of 100m record holder Usain Bolt at the star-studded two-day meeting in London, Shakes-Drayton has vowed to "put on a show" in her event.

"There's been some hype about me and I like people talking about me," said the 20-year-old. "It means I must be doing some things right. Now I have to live up to the hype because hype is pointless if you don't live up to it."

Shakes-Drayton has had a stunning season to date. She was second to Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu over 400m at the World Championships trials earlier this month and last weekend was crowned European Under-23 champion over the hurdles, clinching her second personal best of the season in the process.

Her season goal is to make next month's World Championships in Berlin and while she would be unlucky to miss out, Shakes-Drayton is not taking anything for granted after being overlooked in the past. As a 19-year-old, she won last year's Olympic trials but the selectors preferred Tasha Danvers, who went on to win a bronze in the event in Beijing.

"Going to Beijing would have been a bonus as it wasn't one of my initial goals and it was disappointing to miss out," she added. "But my focus is on the World Championships. I can make the final and who knows after that."

Her rivalry with the US-based Danvers, who has struggled with injury this season, and Scot Eilidh Childs, who was second to Shakes-Drayton in Lithuania, has seen all three raise their game but the trio are not about to be friends.

"I don't really talk to my competitors and I'm not really friends with them," said Shakes-Drayton. "Their performances do push you to get quicker."

A cross-country runner in her youth, Shakes-Drayton only came to hurdling after one of her coaches suggested she give it a go. "I loved it straight away and found it easy," she said. "I still do I guess. It's just like I'm gliding really - that's the best way to describe it."

Her sole focus this weekend will be on victory, although the prospect of competing in her home city in three years' time is never far from her mind and few athletes can claim to be more local.

"I can see the Olympic Stadium from my house," said Shakes-Drayton. "I walk to the end of my road and it's there. It sometimes feels like it's meant to be. First the Olympics comes to England, then to London and then to the end of my road."