She's Britain’s only reigning Olympic athletics champion. And, if Christine Ohuruogu gets her way, she'll soon be adding another gold to the one she won in Beijing.The 28-year-old, who hails from Newham in East London, tells HELLO!: "Whether I've won or not before doesn't really matter. I'm going in with the same goal as I did in 2008 – I'm working towards taking gold."
The determined runner, who has watched the Olympic Park being built just one mile down the road, says it will be incredible to compete on home turf. "It will be something that can’t be matched by anything else," says the sportswoman, who competes in the 400m and 4x400m relay. "I'm so happy for my community that we get the chance to experience this, because when would you ever have this happen in your lifetime – having the Olympics in your back garden?"Christine, the second eldest of eight siblings, has plenty of family members ready to cheer her on. "My little brother has got some 2012 glasses with Union Jacks on," she laughs. "He's only four and he wears them everywhere. "She will be staying in the Olympic Village, despite living so close to the Park.
"From an athlete’s point of view, it's the best place to be. You feel the atmosphere of the Games in the Village, and I think that’s something everyone needs to experience. But I must admit, it will be nice to go straight back home afterwards. "She says she prefers to avoid a high public profile, even though most athletes make most of their money from endorsements. "This is an important year," she tells us. "I was coming off an injury last year, and I had a serious injury before that. It's time I focused on getting the job done right, then I can worry about the fun and games afterwards. For now, I have one job, and that’s all I care about."
See Christine in action when the women's 400m starts on August 3, and again when the women's 4x400 relay heats start on August 10.