Kelly’s facts
Kelly on sports and athletics at school…
I took up athletics at the age of 12 years old, encouraged by my PE Teacher Debbie Page, who was full of energy, motivating and most of all passionate about what she did. She was a great motivation; she identified a talent in me and advised me to take up athletics after coming second in an x-country race. I was the fastest in my class and in my school, I still hold some of my school records! I loved sport at school and was very lucky to have a great PE teacher.
I still had time for friends during my school years, very strong friendships where formed then when I was 5, 12, and 19. My friends then are all still my best mates, Kerrie was already my best mate at my secondary school.
Before I took up athletics I did ballet but didn’t last that long, Majorettes, gymnastics and budokan martial arts. As a child I enjoyed a lot of sports but mainly martial arts. I also played Netball at school but my Athletics came first.
I joined Tonbridge Athletic Club when I was 12 years old and met my first coach Dave Arnold. I became English Schools Champion at the age of 13.
I had a lot of success at a very early stage and it made me realise that i could have a career in athletics. I won the all England schools championships for 1500m at the age of 13, six months after I started running.
Kelly on her career in the Army…
I turned away from athletics for a while as I wanted to join the Army since the age of 14, because it would give me a career and I could do something for myself. I really wanted to be a physical Training instructor but joined firstly as a HGV driver.
I believe that the discipline, respect of other people and myself, the physical strength and focus I gained in the Army, stood me in good stead for when I returned to Athletics at 22.
I became Army Judo Champion and reached blue belt before I had to give up to concentrate on my running. The same with Volleyball as I played for the Army but gave up to help prevent injuries.
I was encouraged to run for the Army and then a guy named Wes asked me to join his club, a year later I ran at the World Championships in Stuggart in 1993 and broke the English record for 800m.
Kelly on her international running career…
I dreamt of being Olympic Champion from the age of 18 after watching Seb Coe win Gold at the 1984 Olympics.
Sebastian Coe was my heroe, I thought he was an amazing runner with so much determination to be the best.
I don’t have any other particular role models but I respect anyone who has worked hard to try and strive to be the best they can.
I realised I had the potential to become an Olympic athlete when I broke the English record for 800m when I first went to the World Championships in Stuttgart in 1993.
Breaking the British record for 1500m in 1997 was a highlight of my sporting career
Winning two Olympic Gold Medals at Athens Olympic Games in 2004 was more than a dream come true, and breaking the British record for 1500m again when winning my gold was extraordinary!
Winning double gold made all the fighting worth while, it has given me the opportunity to voice my opinions to powerful people with things I am passionate about.
Rupturing my calf and tearing my Achilles tendon at the World Championships in 1997 when I was 5 seconds faster than anyone else in the world was a lowlight in my career.
I decided to retire from International athletics in December 2005 because I had achieved everything I ever wanted and realised after a death of an acquaintance that I no longer needed to gain anymore from racing. I had won 12 major medals at Commonwealth, European, World and Olympics meets.
Kelly on being the National School Sport Champion…
I became The National School Sport Champion after having a conversation with Secretary of state for Culture Media and Sport Tessa Jowell about my passion to try and help inspire children to do something positive with their lives through sport, After meeting up with Sue Campbell – Non political Advisor to the government, Chair of the Youth Sports Trust – the role was created. It is a Government backed role supported by the Youth Sport Trust and Norwich Union.
I believe that it’s extremely important to encourage kids to take up sport and be active. It gives them confidence, self esteem, they learn how to communicate and more…
My NSSC role gives me the opportunity to go around the country inspiring and motivating children’s and teachers to spread the word about the importance of Physical Education and Sport.
Click here for more info on my NSSC role
Kelly on health. fitness and training…
The most important things to keep fit and healthy are eating balanced meals and do regular exercise – a variety of training / exercises to keep you motivated and happy
When you compete in a sport seriously you have to be careful with your diet and use food to help with your recovery and to give you energy. Drinking water is important but having a balanced diet gives you everything you need to be healthy and strong.
One very important aspect of training is to warm up well. Everybody knows about the injuries that I’ve experienced through the years and nothing is more frustrating than not being able to compete because of a silly injury. If you warm up well it dramatically reduces the chance that you’ll pull a muscle or sprain an ankle.
Kelly on the 5 components of motivation that helped her achieve ultimate success: Direction, Intensity, Persistence, Continuity and Performance…
DIRECTION (e.g. goal setting, specific events, times)
I had a goal/dream when I was 14 to be Olympic Champion. To get there was a long process of club, county, National, International and eventually World Class races over a twenty year period. I had to race at the highest level winning the 800m in 1.56.38 and the 1500m in 3.57.9
INTENSITY (e.g. the amount of effort and energy required)
As a Senior Athlete I have had to train very intensely. During my Senior Career I trained twice a day six days a week with one rest day a week – training sessions consisted of weights, circuit training, pool running, long runs, track work of speed and speed endurance and hill running.
PERSISTENCE
In training you have to work to your maximum ability to enable you to fulfil your potential and also to be among the best in the World, the problem is you risk a lot of injuries like I did.
CONTINUITY (e.g. the motivation to keep training for so many years)
Continuity is very important so the biggest motivation had to come when I suffered injuries as I had to maintain my fitness with all the above training without the running!
PERFORMANCE (relationship between motivation and performance)
I believe that 80% of your performance as long as you have the ability and have trained well comes from natural self belief
The ultimate single factor that motivated me in the pursuit of achieving my goals was the desire to become an Olympic champion.
Kelly on London 2012 Olympics..
I am very pleased that London won the contest to host the 2012 Olympic Games. It is going to transform sport in our country and change a lot of peoples’ lives.
East London will see some major regeneration. But also the whole country will benefit from improved sporting facilities and I’m looking forward to the buzz that will be felt around the time of the Games.
Kelly on public support and being perceived as a ‘British heroe’ a ‘role model’ and a ‘celebrity’...
It was amazing to have so much support from the British public after I won double gold. I will never forget the many thousands of people that came to see me in my home town (Tonbridge) bus parade.
I don’t feel being a ‘role model’ is a responsibility but something that I choose to do. If people from all walks of life feel inspired by my activities, then that is great.
I don’t know how other people view me, but I am happy if I can pass on my experiences. I hope I am the same person I was before I won my two golds.
Being an athlete is what I chose as a career and being successful at it was a dream come true. If other people label me as a ‘celebrity’ then that is fine. As long as I am happy with what I am doing that is what counts for me.
Kelly’s favorite…
Book
Black, White and Gold of course (my autobiography)
Film
The Shawshank Redemption
Chill
Have my mates around to my house and watch DVD’s
Song
If I ain’t got you – Alicia Keys
Album
Kelly Clarkson
Singer
Heather Small / Beverley Knight
Actor
Morgan Freeman
TV show
Little Britain
Sports person
Martina Navratilova
Race
Both in Athens!!!
Hobby
Interior Design and Horse Riding
Food
Chinese and Chocolate
Restaurant
Chinese and Indian restaurants and I must admit, I do like to go to places that give you loads of food on the plate!
Takeaway
Masterchef Chinese is my local takeaway in Tonbridge
Deli
I love going into delis where you can have bread and fillings of your own choice!
Drink
Fresh fruit juices mainly strawberry, apple and cranberry, and orange.
Comfort Food
I think I may be a chocoholic as I love about 98% of all chocolate bars, although I don’t like ones with marzipan or alcohol in them.
Breakfast
Special K and bran flakes with semi-skimmed milk and I must have runny honey on them! Cranberry and orange juice to drink.