Denise Lewis was once the Queen of British Athletics and following her retirement from professional sports, it still holds a place in her heart as she continues to contribute punditry on the sport.
Denise has been on our screens helping us understand all that's going on with athletics, and there's no one better placed to say, considering the star is a double Olympic medallist, winning a bronze back in 1996 Games, before becoming an Olympic champion in the heptathlon in 2000.
The racetrack also holds positive memories for the star, as Denise met her famous ex-husband there. Take a dive into the athlete's home life, including her private children and famous partner…
Relationships
Denise managed to find love on the racetrack when she fell for Belgian sprinter Patrick Stevens. The pair stayed together for nearly a decade, however, their relationship ended in 2005.
During their time together, Denise and Patrick welcomed a daughter, who they named Lauryn.
© PA Images / Alamy Stock PhotoA year after her split with Patrick, Denise would walk down the aisle with music manager Steve Finan O'Connor, who is the son of the late gameshow presenter, Tom O'Connor.
Steve has managed some of the biggest names in the music industry including Madness, girl group All Saints and former One Direction star, Liam Payne. The happy couple have since welcomed three sons: Ryan, Kane and Troy.
© Dave M. BenettAlthough they didn't marry until 2006, Denise and Steve first crossed paths in 2000, although the athlete was dating Patrick at the time. Reflecting on their second meeting, Denise told the Mirror in 2006: "I was still with Patrick when I first met Steve, then we met again more recently and it was sort of love at second sight."
Children
Denise is a proud mum to four children, welcoming daughter Lauryn, 22, while with ex Patrick Stevens and welcoming her sons: Ryan, 18, Kane, 16 and Troy, five.
The former Olympic star prefers to keep her children's lives out of the public eye, however, the birth of her daughter Lauryn ended up costing her athletics coach. She also faced a lack of support from coaches and support staff, describing herself as "a performing animal with no heart and soul".
© InstagramCharles van Commene coached Denise to her Olympic title, but left her in 2002 saying "motherhood and world-class athletics do not mix".
Speaking to Chelsea Magazines about her son Troy in 2020, Denise shared: "The first 12 months seemed to go on forever, but with Troy, it's been a blur. I don't know if that's because I'm a bit more experienced and taking things in my stride, or if he's just a super baby!"
© Eamonn M. McCormackThe star also told the publication that son Ryan had become a "second dad" to young Troy, spending a lot of time with the youngster.
Although Denise keeps her brood out of the spotlight, she did drop a hint that the children might follow in her footsteps with many having an interest in sports.
"My daughter is more into health and fitness – she plays a bit of netball, but is quite happy to go to the gym on her own and use all the different equipment," she explained. "My boys, on the other hand, prefer the social side to exercise and playing team sports."
