Dame Kelly Holmes probably needs no introduction but for those that may not be aware, Kelly is a retired British middle distance athlete who specialised in the 800 metres and 1500 metres events and won a gold medal for both distances at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She set British records in numerous events and still holds the records over the 600, 800, 1000, and 1500 metre distances.
Lets get to it…
Richard: Was there a specific sporting event when you were young that kick-started your dream to become an athlete?
Kelly: I watched the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and Seb Coe won the 1500m. I was 14. I knew that day that I wanted to be Olympic Champion
Richard: When did you realize your dream of becoming a pro was a real possibility?
Kelly: When I won Gold in the 1500m at the commonwealth games and two weeks later shock silver medal at the European Champs it 1994, it was only a year after coming back into international athletics. I believed from there I could make it on the world stage.
Richard: What did it feel like when this realization kicked in?
Kelly: It’s the hope and beliefs that gives you the drive to focus on your dreams. I had a lot of it.
Richard: Tell me about your first professional event, where was it, were you nervous, excited, scared?
Kelly: World Championships in Stuttgart 1993 I was still serving in the military. So to get in the team was a massive feat. It was amazing to be in the stadium and I was quite overwhelmed.
Richard: How much of your time is spent training?
Kelly: These days 5 times a week but as an athlete twice a day 6 days a week. It was quite full on at times. But with a variety of training it was never boring.
Richard: What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of your training program?
Kelly: Cold wet mornings and ice baths I hated. I loved circuit training and 200m reps on a track.
Richard: How do you stay motivated if you’re having a bad day or week?
Kelly: Having a goal is so important as it helps you set your pathway with hopes and aspirations. Everyone has bad days and they are what make you tougher if you then can get through them having learnt something about yourself.
Richard: From your personal opinion, what has been the biggest achievement in your professional career?
Kelly: Winning two Gold medals.
Richard: What do you want to be remembered for?
Kelly: Someone who just worked hard to prove that dreams are not just a fluffy cloud and no matter where you are from you can be as good as anyone else.
There you have it. I’d like to thank Kelly for her time and if you want to follow and send a message you can find her on Twitter