People tend to like an athlete's performance, but if you don't get a feeling for the individual, you're not very emotive about them.

When we stage the Olympics it will inspire kids all over the country. A kid in Scotland or Ireland will be encouraged to take up sport.

Being a decathlete is like having ten girlfriends. You have to love them all, and you can't afford losing one.

I'm obsessive. I want to know the answer to how good I am. Most people aren't.

I think one of the things about being a good coach is to recognise when you have given all that you can. In fact there should be some sort of unspoken law that says that a coach cannot have anyone for three or four years - if you have not passed on most of the stuff you know in that time, then you are not doing a good job.

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

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