Relaxed Lewis raring to go

Denise Lewis sipped mineral water against the dramatic backdrop of the harbour bridge yesterday, answering journalists' questions with honesty and grace. What a difference a year makes: the contrast between this summer and last could hardly have been greater.

In Seville 12 months ago, on the eve of the world championships, Britain's No1 heptathlete was uncommunicative and surly, earning the wrath of the small group of athletics journalists who follow the sport on a daily basis.

Her great rival Eunice Barber of France, meanwhile, was happy to take calls from the British press on her mobile phone and see them at half an hour's notice. She won, Lewis finished second.

This time the positions have been reversed. Barber's mobile has been switched off for several weeks as she has battled against a succession of injuries while Lewis has been niceness personified ahead of the competition which begins tomorrow.

Yesterday the 28-year-old from West Bromwich chatted happily for more than two hours to a variety of writers, television journalists and radio reporters. It is to be hoped that come Sunday evening that reversal of roles will also be reflected in the medal positions.

In Atlanta four years ago, Lewis took bronze in the seven-discipline event and there is a growing feeling that she can improve to gold here and emulate the achievement of Mary Peters, the last British woman to win an Olympic multi-events title when she triumphed in the pentathlon at Munich in 1972.

In the background, the imposing figure of Britain's Daley Thompson, the 1980 and 1984 decathlon champion, was an encouraging omen. "Of course she can do it," he said when asked if Lewis could win. "She's a great athlete."

To underline her potential, in the French town of Talence a few weeks ago, Lewis scored a Commonwealth record 6,831 points - a total which she believes will be enough to earn victory here.

"Eunice is the main danger but I don't underestimate anyone," said Lewis, the 1994 and 1998 Commonwealth champion and the 1998 European gold medallist.

"This is the Olympics and there will always be surprises. People were talking about getting 7,000 points last year but I don't think that will happen here. We're talking about 6,600 or 6,700.

"And it will take someone who can turn out on both days in one piece. It will go down to the wire, down to the last event - the 800m on Sunday."

Until Talence, few would have backed Lewis over two laps against her local barber, let alone Eunice Barber. Then she ran a time of 2min 12sec, which took four seconds off her personal best and in the heptathlon is a world-class performance.

"I've made significant improvements and worked on it," Lewis said. "My coach told me that Sydney would be about being able to do the 800m. I've finally been able to shut him up - although I'm not as fast as he wants!

"In the winter I complain and think: 'Why am I doing this?' But come summer this is where the heart is. When you cross the 800m line you think, 'God I've done it' and there is a sense of relief. You're exhausted and and that hits you first. Then the next day everything kicks in and you ache. But there is always a sense of accomplishment."

Hopefully it is a good portent that Lewis has been working with her coach Charles van Commenee at the Dutch training camp in Brisbane rather than joining her British team-mates on the Gold Coast. The Dutch have been the sensation of these Games, claiming six gold medals. Lewis, too, hopes that the future is bright, the future is gold.

"This is the premier event," Lewis said. "The Olympics are everyone's dream, it's the biggest competition for everyone. This is what I used to watch as a kid in the 1980s."

Like the Australian 400m favourite Cathy Freeman, Lewis has avoided the media pressure back home by living abroad - in her case Amsterdam. "I've kept away from everything," she admitted.

"There is always a danger otherwise that you get too involved. So I've managed to stay relaxed. I trained in Brisbane and it was nice and quiet, away from all the hype.

"I'm as good as I can be now. I'm never fully fit. I had worries about three or four weeks ago but they're now behind me and I'm here to do a job. I don't have time for negative thoughts.

"I've faced problems with injuries over the last couple of years too. I relish the competition and would like to think everyone would be fit. I can't change what other people do, I can only affect what Denise Lewis does.

"But I definitely think I'm in a position to win gold. I wouldn't be here otherwise. Winning gold would mean I had something tangible. It's not life and death and I won't be swinging from a balcony if I don't achieve it but this is what all my efforts have been geared towards. It would be perfect for the people who have believed in me."

Gete Wami, last year's world 10,000m champion, has shocked rivals with her last-minute entry for the 5,000m. The Ethiopian, who outsprinted Britain's Paula Radcliffe to win over the longer distance in Seville last August, decided to double up close to the deadline for race entries.

Wami will line up against Ireland's Sonia O'Sullivan in her heat, allowing the pair to look at each other before Monday's final.

Barring an accident, Wami will link up in the final with her team-mates Ayelech Worku, last year's world 5000m bronze medallist, and Worknesh Kidane. The trio are likely to run as a team to upset the rhythm of both O'Sullivan and last year's 5,000m world champion, Gabriela Szabo of Romania.