Christine Ohuruogu
It has been a difficult four years since winning Olympic gold for Christine Ohuruogu but now the 400m runner is looking back to her best and ready for the Aviva Trials.
I caught up with her to talk about the shape that she is in ahead of the Aviva Trials as well as the Olympics themselves.
- The Olympic Games are now just around the corner so how excited are you at the prospect of a home Games?
I'm very excited as it is a once in a life time opportunity to go and represent your country on home ground.
- The Aviva Trials are now very close so how would you assess the shape that you are in at the moment and how has your training been going?
Training has been going really well, I can't really complain to much as I am getting through what I need to do.
I am looking forward to the Aviva Trials as I think that it will be a good opportunity for not just me but other athletes to really show the kind of form that they are in and qualify for the Games.
- You clocked a time of 50.69 seconds in New York last week so how much of a boost has that given you and how much more do you think there is to come between now and the Games?
It's just nice to have that time in the bag so I know where I am at and we know that we can push on and just do a bit more work and tidy up the edges a bit.
- You have been at the Fast Girls Roadshow so what have you been up to today?
Today we have met the girls, I have met two of them before and so it was nice to meet the others. We are just promoting the movie and the roadshow and getting people to back the team.
It's really important that we get people to back not just athletics but the whole of the GB Team as we really are working hard to put on good performances this summer so it's important that we get the whole of Britain supporting us.
- As the Games have got closer and closer the likes of yourself and Jess Ennis and Mo Farah are the athletes that everyone is looking at and talking about so how are you finding the attention as expectation that is now building?
It's alright and it's nice to see people getting excited and ready for the Games to come.
I think it's just nice for us as athletes to give back to our communities and I think that that is something that is quite special and so for the Games to be in London is really great for all of us to be able to get people excited. So it's quite nice.
- Have you been watching some of the Olympic flame coverage because everywhere it there is a real support for the Games so how have you found that to know that the whole country is behind all of our athletes?
It has been great. I haven't really followed it to be honest; no I tell a lie I saw the torch in Scotland.
It's really nice because the crowds were huge and it's great that everyone is getting into the spirit of the Games no matter where they are in the country.
It's fantastic and I think that people are realising that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
So it's great that everyone is backing the team and really showing us how much they are supporting us.
- Aviva has been a huge supported of Team GB over the year so how instrumental have they been?
I think one of the most crucial elements for us as athletes is the pre-championship holding camp as it allows us to just lock off and focus on our events.
Aviva have set that ups for us and that has been really instrumental in helping us prepare for the championships.
This year we are going to go to another camp set up by Aviva in Portugal and I think that that will be really important as it will allow us to get our last minute preparations in.
But it will also give us a chance to get away and focus because London will be very busy.
- How important will it be to get out of the firing line as it were as this is going to be the biggest Olympic Games for all British athletes?
I think it is necessary for us to get away, even if it is only for a few days, just to give a chance to regroup. It can be very draining to be in the fire (laughs).
It's draining to be in that environment the whole time and so I think that it will pay dividends to get out and just re-focus so when you come back in you are fresh.
- You are training very hard at the moment but have you given any thought to what the Games are going to be like and what it's going to feel like stepping into that packed stadium for the first time?
No, not really you know. I haven't given it too much thought as I am just carried through by training (laughs) I don't really stop and think about what is going to happen I just train - that's a boring answer sorry.
- You are the defending 400m champion so do you think your success in Beijing can help as you prepare and race in the London Games?
It can help but it is not really something that I dwell on too much. It's almost like a fresh slate but that is not to say that you don't use those experiences.
But I try to have a fresh perspective as I find that they are easier to handle; it's nice to have a fresh perspective on things and not to allow bad habits of old to colour what I'm doing this season.
- Since Beijing you have seemed to have injury after injury so how much of a battle has it been to get back and performing close to your best?
It's been tough but I try not to dwell on that too much. But it is nice to be back running well and to be running injury free.
It's a nice place to be at the moment and I am just happy to be in one piece.
- The 400m looks set to be one of the hotly contested events at the Olympics this year so where are you expecting the major contenders for medals to come from?
I really don't know. I view everyone as a rival and we all want that same thing and when you are with people who all want the same thing as badly as they do you don't know what surprises are going to be thrown up.
So I view them all as equal competitors and worthy competitors.
- You and the rest of the 4x400m relay team picked up a gold at the world indoors in Turkey so what do you think you and the rest of the girls can achieve here later this summer?
It's hard to say exactly because it is going to be a tough tough summer, it is not going to be easy and we know that.
I think we just need to focus on making sure that we can really run well individually and so we can bring out a good quality team this summer.
- The Olympic Games are going to be a huge source of inspiration for kids up and down the country so for any of them who want to get into athletics what advice would you give?
I would say find a club as that always helps. Then find a coach, someone who can nurture your talent and encourage you and get you the races that you need.
But just enjoy it - it's great to win but you will deal with the losses a lot better if you enjoy it. Athletics is a huge sport so there are always going to be plenty of clubs around and many good coaches who are to nurture new talent.
- Finally what’s next for you after the Aviva Trials will we be seeing in you race in other meets?
After the Aviva Trials I will definitely do the Aviva London Grand Prix and I think that that will be it for me before the Games.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw