Double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes has no plans to retire after fulfilling
her childhood dream.
The former Army sergeant became Britain's greatest ever female Olympian when
she added 1,500metres gold to her 800m title in Athens on Saturday night.
However, at the age of 34, Holmes believes she is in the "shape of her life"
and has no intentions of hanging up her spikes just yet.
"It has still not sunk in," she told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek
programme.
"I still can't believe what I have achieved. I had a great night and am now
taking just one day at a time.
"I don't plan to retire. I'm in the best shape of my life.
"The most important thing now is for me to enjoy my athletics.
"I have always had that burning desire to be better, and knew I could do that
with one year completely free of injury, and that is what I have had."
Holmes has been given the honour of carrying the flag for the Great Britain
team during Sunday's closing ceremony in Athens.
She has also been hailed as a true Olympic great after her stunning performances
over both middle-distance races.
However, the Tunbridge Wells runner admitted she was humbled by all of the
praise.
"We have had some outstanding athletes and to even be considered among their
names is unbelievable," she reflected.
"I have done it for myself. It has been a dream of mine for 20 years.
"There was something inside me that said I could achieve my dream, and that
one day it would come true.
"I kept plugging away and now I have achieved it."
Holmes took 800m bronze in Sydney four years ago, and only decided to run over
the shorter distance again this year just before the Games.
"Winning the 800 was a big shock," said Holmes, who plans to set up a
training camp in South Africa for some of Britain's top junior middle-distance
prospects to pass on some of her experience to the next generation.
"That (the 800m win) confirmed my fitness level was much better than I
thought. I had two weeks of amazing preparation.
"I had to pretend I had not won and refocus for the 1,500. It was hard, but I
had a great team behind me.
"I did not see the clock, who I was with, who was behind me, in front of me
or anything. I had a plan and focused on it, and it paid off."
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