GB basketball star Andrew Sullivan, aged 30, has turned to martial arts to prolong his career for a shot at glory in the London Olympics.  He has 29 GB caps as one of the team's most experienced players.

And the forward reckons he is in the best physical condition of his career after taking up martial arts a year ago.  Sullivan's new-found strength has just helped him earn a contract with the Newcastle Eagles until the end of the season.

He hopes his displays can now secure a two-year deal with player-coach Fab Flournoy's Eagles after four successive away wins in the BBL Championship.  And Sullivan claims that his new-found love for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been a big factor as he has impressed since returning from Apollon in Cyprus.

"I started doing it last March and within six weeks there was a noticeable difference," Sullivan told The Mirror.

"I felt a lot stronger and had more endurance on the court.

"Physically in that first month to six-week time period I put on about between 10-12 pound of muscle without lifting any weights.

"Anytime you can put on some weight and some strength is going to help on the basketball court.

"So I think it has helped me quite a bit.

"When you are carrying a little bit more weight and strength it also makes you more confident.

"Last summer playing with Fab we played one-on-one and worked each other out and he commentated how much stronger I have got.

"Physically I look bigger and am more muscular.

"Duncan French the GB team's strength and conditioning coach also remarked about it so that's good because I want to be in great shape for 2012."

Sullivan, who is 6ft 8in, remains determined to be a key player for Chris Finch's GB team in the Olympics.

But he faces a fight to retain the captaincy and his place due to the emergence of new stars like Joel Freeland and Dan Clark.

Sullivan is pulling out all the stops to extend his pro career but has also started making plans for when he retires.

And he has become so obsessed with martial arts he has even opened a specialist gym in Newcastle called '8th Wonder'.

Sullivan added: "Playing basketball is what I do and is my top priority but I have other interests.

"I did a bit of martial arts with my uncle when I was younger.

"I never really pursued it properly because I got into basketball.

"I got the bug for basketball and that became my life for the next 17 years.

"But now over the past year I have gotten into doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as well.

"I have really got the bug for that too and when I am not doing basketball and I am in the country I pretty much do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with my instructor Dave Elliott."