Jessica Ennis-Hill – 29, Sheffield, Olympic heptathlon champion – 100m hurdles on Saturday
On her return to training since childbirth:
“It’s been a really different journey after the physical changes but I’m back in shape and training’s all going well. I’ve had some Achilles problems so it’s been a bit stop-start but I’m managing everything.
“I’m slowly getting back to where I was – I can see big improvements from where I was when I started back in training in November – it gives me confidence but I know it’s going to be a steady journey. I have confidence in my training and in my coach.”
On her comeback competition after almost two years away from the track:
“I feel a little bit like ‘what am I doing’ coming back straight into such a top race but I need to see where I am so I can have something to work on throughout the season.
“I feel like I’ve achieved my dreams so now I just want to give myself a fair go at coming back after having a child and trying to be successful again. I’m happy to just keep my head down and focus on what I need to do for me.”
On previously considering quitting the sport and her major aims for the remainder of her career:
“Rio was always the big focus but I did think ‘what I am doing?’ when I was so tired and unfit after having Reggie (her son) – I was already Olympic champion but I refocused myself as it’s only for another two or three years and I want Reggie to be part of my journey now as he hadn’t been part of my success before.
“It was really nice to have a long break after the crazy build-up to London – focus on myself and Reggie, and enjoy being a mum. I enjoyed it but I’m really excited to be back. My family are so supportive of me – I’ll always have that drive within me and I like the challenge of combining both and trying to have a successful comeback.”
On feeling the benefits of her post-childbirth body and her aims for 2015:
“I’ve found I can plod on a bit longer in the 800m training so that’s been a change but my strength’s taken a long time to come back and getting my fast-twitch fibres working again.
“My aim’s to complete a heptathlon (first in Gotzis at the end of May), get a qualifying score (for August’s Beijing IAAF World Championships) and make the (Rio 2016) Olympics – then I’d be happy, winning a medal there would be amazing and a great way to top off my career.”
Greg Rutherford – 28, Milton Keynes, Olympic, European and Commonwealth long jump champion – long jump on Saturday
On his form in the early-season stage:
“It’s my first competition of the season and I’ve just got back from a long training trip in America – it was the best training trip of my life so I’m very excited. I’ve got bad jet-lag, though but it’s about going out there, winning and putting down a decent distance. It’ll be a tough competition and will be great to interact with the crowd, with Milo (his son) watching too which will be fantastic.”
On gaining extra muscle mass to improve his performance:
“My extra weight recently has been really helpful this year – the indoors shocked me, just that one competition but I jumped PB after PB so it’s really encouraging. I’m strong and fast now so I’m feeling really good – I’m getting more comfortable with my body now and if I’m happy, I jump well.”
On how life has changed for the better after becoming a father:
“Nobody can prepare you for having a child but forgetting the tiring nights back in the early days, it’s the best thing in the world – creating Milo is my greatest achievement, over winning the Olympics, everything. I’m obsessed with that smiley little boy, my life’s more complete now I have him in it – I’m not stressed about training and competition because he’s the priority now. He makes me more determined to perform well and he really helps me switch off when I need to.
“They (Milo and partner, Suzi) won’t travel with me on the circuit so not to disrupt his routine, as I only travel for a few days for competitions. I’m heading off to Shanghai next week and it’s a stacked field, then I’ll head to Birmingham and Oslo – I’d like to have a good crack at the IAAF Diamond League title this year.”
On capturing the world title this summer:
“This year’s a big one for me – the World’s has never worked for me before but this year, I see no reason why it shouldn’t go really well, it’s the major focus and I believe I can bring home the gold medal – I have a great opportunity to win it.
“I forced it too much last year to try to prove people wrong – fortunately, I won the Commonwealth’s and European’s but the distances didn’t come – this year will be the same, the distance doesn’t matter as much as the gold.”
On trying to retain his Olympic crown:
“Winning Rio would be massive and I think I can do it – I’ll only be 29 so in my prime, that would be the ultimate achievement. It motivates me to keep jumping far and winning, and to make my son proud.”
Katarina Johnson-Thompson – 22, Liverpool, European indoor pentathlon champion – 200m hurdles on Saturday
On her fine 2015 form:
“My indoor season was amazing, one event after another going really well so it took a lot out of me physically and emotionally. There’s no rush to get ready for Beijing so my aim’s now to stay in shape all the way to the end of the season. After the turning point of my first senior major goal, it’s taken me a while to get over it so I’ve not had the best preparation coming into this.”
On tackling the rare 200m hurdles race tomorrow:
“Tomorrow’s going to be a bit of fun – it’s an event where I can just stride out in between the hurdles. I’ve only practised up to six hurdles but I just need to get out there. It will be really stiff competition especially against the specialist hurdlers and it will feel a really long race.”
On taking a more laid-back approach to heptathlon points and the return of her great rival, Jessica Ennis-Hill:
“I used to be really obsessed with my points but now I’ve relaxed on it to live in the present and focus on staying competitive in the moment. You can’t get caught up with what other people are doing either. It’s great to have Jess back, it’s amazing for the event – two of us going for medals is really positive and the heptathlon getting the recognition it deserves.”
On aiming for a global medal in Beijing:
“I was in the best shape of my life in the indoor season so hopefully I can replicate that form in a big year and take a medal in Beijing. I don’t get nervous until the day before the events so Gotzis at the end of May is just here or there.”
Richard Kilty – 25, Teeside, World and European indoor 60m champion – 100m on Saturday
On his season opener in the Bahamas earlier this month:
“The World Relays was absolutely amazing – the best competition I’ve ever been to. Every time I get called up to represent my country, it’s a massive honour for me – as a kid, it was all I ever wanted to do so it gives me great pride.”
On his breakthrough year in 2014 and building on it in 2015:
“I was an underdog in 2014 so no-one expected me to deliver anything and so winning the World Indoors helped my career massively. Winning the European indoors back in March was really important for me and it gave me a big boost, being able to win it in a different situation, going into it as a favourite and handling the pressure.”
On recovering from a recent injury:
“I was in Florida a few weeks ago and tore my hamstring by 7cm so I hadn’t sprinted once before I got to the start-line at the World Relays, but I feel a lot fitter and stronger than this time last year – I’ve kept up a lot of gym work and pool work so tomorrow, the main thing’s to be competitive, set a benchmark for the rest of the season and finish it healthy and to have fun out there.”
On being aware of the pressure to run 100m under 10-seconds:
“Everyone’s waiting for me to run sub-10 which I really hope I can deliver this year, I know I’m capable, I just need time and patience, and to execute the right race in the right conditions. Last year, I cared too much about what other people think – I carried too much pressure on my shoulders and I run my best when I relax. I’m slowly learning how to deal with pressure and expectation.
“British sprinting’s amazing and will be very competitive for making the team this summer – I’m honoured to be part of the big bunch of us running well.”
On mixing his specialist outdoor event with the 200m this season:
“I really want to do some more 200’s – I’ve not done one for two years because I could only get 100m invites last year. I might try to nail a 200m at the Loughborough International next week – it might even be the event I decide to go for at the World’s – it’s 50/50 for either the 100m or 200m at the moment.
“I’ve got a few IAAF Diamond League races lined up at home and abroad but I think they are all 100m’s so I need to work on the plan with my agent, it’s exciting though.”
On translating his indoor form to the outdoor arena:
“I have the pressure on me to replicate my form outdoors – last year was my first ever whole indoor season and I won the world title so I definitely need to perform outdoors, there’s no mental block so I need to make the World or Olympic final that would be great.
“Linford’s told me to be patient and to not think too much about these early season races – Beijing’s still a few months away, that’s when it really matters – the priority now is training and getting the race practice is.”
On his main goals for the summer:
“I definitely want to make the Beijing final, take home a relay medal, break 10-seconds, get nearer to the 20-second barrier and stay injury-free this summer.”
Jo Pavey – 41, Devon, European 10,000m champion – 10,000m road on Sunday
On her first race since last year:
“This is my first race back since the summer so I’m really excited to get back racing – it’s a real bonus as I thought I’d be retired by now. This event is so exciting with a great atmosphere – I have a lot of great memories from racing here.”
On deciding to miss Beijing to enjoy the road and her family more:
“This year’s all about enjoying my running – I just want to have the chance to mix the road and track after being so focused on the track to make the champs last summer. I missed doing the road last year so I’ll mix both this year.
“Rio’s my long-term goal – the possibility of making a fifth Olympics will be amazing but I’m not complacent as I’m getting older every day but I’ve proven I’m still running well. It wouldn’t be fair to spend the whole of my little boy’s school summer holiday on training camp ahead of Beijing this year so we’ll have a break from it before making Rio, hopefully.
“For us as a family, it’s important to get the balance right – I’ll still be training hard at the track this year- I seem to get less injured as I get older, I’ve only had a few little illnesses in the build up to this so my body’s adapting to running more over time.”
On Sunday’s race and running against Gemma Steel:
“The main thing’s to race as hard as I can on Sunday – it’ll be a shock to the system but I love this event. It’s probably going to be a fast time depending on the weather.
“It’s great to see the younger talent like Gemma running so well, she’s the next generation. It’ll be much nicer to have her, a friendly face in the race with me – we’re not sure if we’re going to work together in the race or not, though.”
On life after competition:
“I really enjoyed commentating at the London marathon and it was an honour to be involved in paying tribute to Paula’s career. Every day is so busy so I don’t get to think what I’ll do after I retire but I’d love to some coaching and running camps.”
On deciding when to retire and a possible return to the marathon:
“It’s tempting to continue until London 2017, it’s a dangling carrot especially after London 2012 and Glasgow 2014 but I’ll have to take each season at a time.”
“I’m always thinking about doing another marathon – I want to do another but I’m not sure where it will fit and I’m definitely more suited to the track events.”
Gemma Steel – 29, Leicester, European cross country champion – 10,000m road on Sunday
On her aims for the summer:
“I’ve had a good strength-based conditioning and grounding for the summer from the cross country and road season. I’ll mainly do the 10,000m on road with the odd track race this
season, but I’d also like to do a 5,000m on the track and some shorter races.”
On her possible move up to the marathon this autumn:
“I need to get mentally prepared for the marathon but I might do Amsterdam in October so I could still do the Great North Run in September and the World half in Cardiff next year. I’m only 29 and I’ve only been at this level for four years so I need to take my time.”
On her goal of making London 2017:
“I’m still learning all the time – the Euro and World cross went really well for me. London 2017’s more realistic for me to perform well at the marathon so I’m looking forward to hopefully making that. Cardiff will be a stepping stone to that, the home crowd inspires me.”
