I did not want to be the best black man of the year; I wanted to be the best man of the year.

For kids it's natural to be competitive.

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.

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

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.

If you don't want to grow old, then slow down the slowing down process.

I have the mentality of a winner. I first went to the Olympic Games when I was 17, three weeks after my O-levels, and I remember sitting in a dining-hall filled with the world's best athletes.