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Darren Campbell Previews The World Athletics Championships

Darren Campbell Previews The World Athletics Championships

The former Olympic 4x100m champion takes a look at Britain's prospects at London 2017.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

It's five years since the Olympic games in London but the World Athletics Championships at the same location might have even more historical significance with the end of Usain Bolt's career. We spoke to former British sprinter Darren Campbell ahead of the championships.

In 2012 in the Olympic Stadium the world's eyes were on London as one of the greatest Olympic games were put on in England's capital.

Since then a lot has changed, mostly because the stadium is now home of West Ham United, but one thing has stayed the same, the country's thirst for great sport.

Incredible that it's five years since London 2012. Image: PA

On August 4th we get it with nine days of world class athletics that will end with the retirement of one of the greats of the sport, Usain Bolt.

Before that moment there's some medals to be won by team GB. We spoke exclusively to Darren Campbell, a World Championships silver medal winner in 1999, about who he's looking forward to seeing:

"Yeah I'm looking forward to the championships. It's always difficult for the athletes the year after the Olympic games. There's been some good performances and I think we're going to see a top level of competition.

"You've obviously got Mo Farah in the 5000 and 10,000 metres.

Farah goes for his sixth and seventh world gold medals. Image: PA

"I think the women's 400m hurdles will be a fantastic competition.

"Then you've got Laura Muir in the 1500m and 5000m. And then you've got three British 1500m runners who can all make the final and if they make it there and it's the right kind of race then one of them could surprise and claim a medal. Chris O'Hare, Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman, they've all been performing well, running fast times and yeah if they have belief they could surprise people."

Laura Muir is a medal hope for GB. Image: PA

Campbell, now a pundit for BBC Sport, has also got his eyes on a number of other British athletes including one sprinter:

"CJ Ujah has performed brilliantly. He's been consistent, very consistent, for the first time in his career. He's competed well on the circuit, out on the diamond league. He's had victories and finished in the top three. So this is a young man who will be going into the championships with a lot of confidence.

"Then you've got Andrew Pozzi in the 110 metre hurdles. He's performed very very well. He's had lots of injuries but this year he's been the most consistent he's been.

"There's also the likes of Robbie Grabarz in the high jump and Eilidh Doyle in the 400m hurdles.

"Finally there's Katrina Johnson Thompson in the heptathlon. If she can medal in the heptathlon, I've got a feeling she'll also medal in the high jump."

Can Ujah turn his form into a medal? Image: PA

One of the highlights of the 2012 Olympics were the crowds who really got behind the athletes, especially the British ones, and Campbell says having the championships are big for those in the stands too:

"We have the best fans in the world, I know I'm biased but we embrace sport, we know what it's about. We love seeing people go out there and give their all. We had an unbelievable Olympics in 2012 and this is our reward. It's a big event but there's less pressure.

"But it doesn't mean we aren't going to do as well. It doesn't mean that the crowds aren't going to turn up. And hopefully they'll inspire our athletes to the great performances they had in 2012.

"I love the noise the British fans make and i'm sure this championships will be no different."

Campbell, right, collects his medal in Paris. Image: PA

The 43 year old won silver and bronze in the 4x100m with his teammates at the 1999 and 97 championships and also won the bronze on his own in the 100m in Paris in 2003.

And the Mancunian explained why the championships, and even the early ones where he messed up, were important to his career:

"I came last in 1996 and dropped the baton. But the bronze in the 4x100m in 1997 gave me the belief that, as part of a team, I could compete with the best in the world.

"By 2003 I showed what I was capable of by finishing third in 100m and fourth in 200m by one thousandth of a second.

"The world champs are a very important stepping stone, if you can be challenging at the world championships then it really does give you belief that you can win Olympic medals.

"In 99' we won silver in the 4x100m and in 2000 I won a silver medal at the Olympics, that just shows you the belief it can give you, it can raise your confidence and self esteem."

It looks like it'll be a very interesting nine days in the London Stadium!

The World Athletics Championships 2017 on the BBC will be broadcast across TV, radio and online from the 4th-13th August

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Athletics