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Kelly Holmes' KOS column
28 February 2010
After dedicating my life to being the best I could be in both the army and as an athlete, it’s time to focus my attention on achieving another goal.
I firstly achieved so much in the army in becoming a physical training instructor and then went on to become a double gold Olympic champion in athletics, so to not have something now as a goal in life is just not me.
I can only see my life being fulfilled if I can say there’s something else I have achieved that I have perhaps started from scratch.
That, as far as I can see, will have to be in the business world because there isn’t anything else for me to do. It’s not like I am going to go into another sport and be an Olympic champion, unfortunately, because the wheels on the body aren’t going to let that happen.
What I can tell you is that I have started making moves on how I can create, in a sense, my own business or a brand.
People will always know me for winning two gold medals but if that’s all they know about me in five years time, that doesn’t move me on as a person and make me feel as though I have achieved something. I have had to learn from scratch new business skills as I look to build my own brand and that is something I am working hard on right now. There are opportunities to branch out into the fitness industry in terms of developing equipment, products and clothing lines, so there are plenty of exciting challenges ahead.
All I can say at the moment though, is watch this space and let’s see in five years time where this new venture has got me.
In my last column, as president of the England team, I wrote about the Commonwealth Games that are at Delhi in India at the end of the year and how some athletes have voiced their concerns about attending. Well, I’m disappointed to say that hasn’t abated and for some reason a few athletes have said they don’t want to compete because of security concerns.
We have a security team out in Delhi that are giving us regular reports and we haven’t had one single report to suggest that we should be pulling out at this stage.
As far as we are concerned the Games are going ahead and we will be sending an England team out there. It’s only if our security guys come back and tell us that there is a genuine threat to our athletes then that would of course be a reason to pull out, but there has been nothing coming back to suggest that.
It would become a political issue if we pulled out and it would have an effect on us as a nation for the 2012 Olympic Games.
It was pleasing to see middle distance runner Jenny Meadows win at the UK Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham last weekend – I think she is a real prospect for the world indoor title next month.
I was among the crowd watching her take my British indoor record for the 800-metres and I really think it’s great that she broke it.
People have asked ‘what do you think about your record being broken’ and my answer to that is I wouldn’t be mentoring 45 middle distance junior athletes if I didn’t think records could be broken.
For me, it’s just great to see a British athlete displaying the ability to be the best in the world. The record was very attainable for her and she is now showing that she is capable of doing well at the World Indoor Championships and we need that for the sport. If we don’t have people producing good results and being consistent, our sport isn’t going to move forward and we’ll be in big trouble.
She has the ability to win gold and is at a really good standard. All she needs to do now is think about her tactics and that’s what it will be down to on that last lap.
I definitely think she will get a medal and that would be great for middle distance running in this country.
I would also like to say good luck to all the runners taking part in the Tunbridge Wells half-marathon today, I will be there to start the race and look forward to meeting you all. A special good luck to those running for my charity, the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust. Let’s hope the weather holds out.