Sometimes you have to resist working on your strengths in favour of your weaknesses. The decathlon requires a wide range of skills.

You can be an Olympic champion in 9.5 secs, but to be the greatest, there's more to it. It takes a bit of forethought and a lot of mental application.

When I lost my decathlon world record I took it like a man. I only cried for ten hours.

Even if you've been involved in a World Cup, the Olympics is huge. Only the Games has the power to change communities.

Sport fosters many things that are good; teamwork and leadership.

For kids it's natural to be competitive.

There's no day when I don't think it would be great to be 25 years old and have the Olympics coming in less than 300 days - and be the best in the world. I can't think of anything so motivating.