Greg Rutherford says he will struggle to hold back the tears as he bids farewell to London's Olympic Stadium

Greg Rutherford has admitted he will “probably be crying more than jumping” as he attempts to put his injury ravaged body through one final appearance at London’s ­Olympic Stadium on Sunday.

The London 2012 long-jump champion has announced his impending retirement at the age of 31, but is desperate to return to the scene of his greatest triumph at the Muller Anniversary Games, despite his injured left ankle restricting him to just one training session a week. Yet to break eight metres this season, any hope of victory against the world’s best would be fanciful, but Rutherford has not totally given up hope of defending his European title in Berlin next month.

“This is going to be a very emotional weekend for me,” he said. “Since the London Olympics six years ago, I’ve had such an amazing reception every time I step out into the stadium that it does bring a bit of a tear to the eye.

“That’s going to be no different on Sunday. I’ll probably be crying more than I will jumping. But I’m really looking forward to going out there and enjoying it. I’m in a very different place to where I was a ­couple of years ago. I’m not coming in saying I want to win it. I know my body is in a bit of a rough place, which I’ve had to accept.

“It’s a bit of a make-or-break weekend for me. If I jump over eight metres I’ll probably go to the Europeans. If not, then I’ll leave it there and get ready for the last ­couple of competitions.

“I’ve never wanted to be a tourist. I’m not about going to major championships just to wave to the crowd. This competition [in London] is about that. I want to jump well but, equally, I want to give back to the crowd.

“I will only go to Berlin if I feel I still have the chance of winning a medal. European long jumping is pretty rubbish at the moment, that’s not me being horrible. It’s pretty awful, hence why there’s still a chance. But I have to do well on Sunday.”

Regardless of how he fares on Sunday, Rutherford is already planning for life outside athletics after farewell outings at the Birmingham Diamond League and Great North City Games this season. A career in broadcasting beckons, but he is also serious about testing himself in the world of track cycling – despite never having sat on a road bike or cycled in a ­velodrome.

“What’s very important is I’m not saying I’m going to move to track cycling and become the best in the world,” he said. “I’m going to attempt it. I asked what sort of ­wattage a decent cyclist would put out, I went to the gym, got on the wattbike and did it and more.

“I have zero reference points to say I’ll be good at the event, but I have the raw ability to potentially be successful. I’m going to go for it.”

Alongside Rutherford’s appearance, Sunday’s long jump ­competition had promised a mouthwatering showdown between Cuba’s Juan Miguel Echevarria and Luvo Manyonga, of South Africa, only for Echevarria to ­withdraw this week. Reigning world champion Manyonga insisted on Friday that he was “born to break the nine-metre barrier”, but Rutherford believes Cuban teenager Echevarria could become the Usain Bolt of the long jump after leaping a ­marginally wind-assisted 8.83m last month.

“Luvo is capable, but I really believe Echevarria could become the world-record holder sooner rather than later,” said Rutherford.

“It blows my mind. To be doing what he’s doing at 19 is phenomenal.”