Sport and health are so important to our nation that they deserve to be right at the front of people's minds.

If you work hard in real life, people tend to get in your way - either from inertia or prejudice - and they stop you achieving things. It's the worst thing about real life compared with sports, where you generally get what you deserve: if you're the fastest guy, you win; there are no other games being played.

In sport, if you want to be the best you have to compete against the best - I would much rather have come tenth and be judged against everyone than come first and be judged against just a few.

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.

I'm competitive - that's what defines me - and I love it.

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

Most people doing the decathlon these days are quite boring, so people don't relate to them.