Earlier this week, World 400m gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu returned to the former Olympic Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, ahead of the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games on 24-26 July, and admitted that she has been “thinking maybe 2017” would be a good way to end her career.
Ohuruogu, who plans to defend her world title in Beijing this summer and challenge for gold at the 2016 Olympics said: “I did say Rio, but I might change my mind. It would be fantastic to come back (to London) in 2017.”
For someone as fiercely competitive as Ohuruogu, turning out at London 2017 (which would be her seventh World Championships, assuming she competes in China this August) will depend upon how well she is performing.
“You want to be in a position to contend, so everything depends upon how I progress over this year and the next year. Who knows, I’ve got loads of time to play around with, I’ve got loads of options, so let’s just see what happens.”
It is this hunger and drive which has seen the 400m runner become the proud owner of two Olympic, two Commonwealth and five world medals. And she doesn’t plan on leaving it at that, “I’m aiming to retain my world title,” said Ohuruogu.
“The Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games will be a pivotal part of my preparations for Beijing. The event is only a month before the World Championships, so I’ll be looking for a good performance to give me confidence going into those final few weeks.”
“I’m sure the crowd and the atmosphere will motivate me even more and I’m planning to be in the best shape possible for that race.”
It would be a fitting metaphor for the born-and-bred Londoner to apply her trademark strong finish to her own athletics career and finally hang up he spikes at the 2017 World Championships, in a stadium just down the road from where she lives and trains.
