I called Daley Thompson after the Games of '84, when he won. He'd had this phenomenal decathlon for nine events - and then he went out there and jogged the 1,500 meters and missed the world record by, like, three points.

When I lost my decathlon world record I took it like a man. I only cried for ten hours.

I love the 1,500 meters. I knew that, if I had to do it to win, I'd run under 4:05. That means I could pick up 100 points, maybe even 150 points, on anybody in the world.

I missed the final of the World Championships in 2009, but I told the coach I would break the world record in 2010. Which I did. Then in 2011 I won the World Championships and now in 2012 it is the Olympics. That is how I have been working.

I'm not necessarily proud of the World Cups and the grand slams won or lost, the amount of points I scored, this record or that.

Speed is more important than endurance in the decathlon.