An interview with Conrad Williams, Team GB and Olympic 400m runner

Birmingham will again welcome a wealth of top athletes when the National Indoor Arena (NIA) plays host to the British Athletics Grand Prix on Saturday, February 16.

Visit Birmingham spoke with Team GB and Olympic 400m runner, Conrad Williams, who will be visiting the city this weekend.

Are you looking forward to coming to Birmingham?

I’m really looking forward to coming to Birmingham again. I was up here a couple of weeks ago for the Birmingham Games and I’m looking forward to the Grand Prix this weekend. Birmingham is one of my favourite cities to run in and I’m certain this weekend will be no different.

How important are the crowd?

The crowd is vital for the atmosphere of any meet and I know the athletes appreciate the support they receive - we love to run to a packed crowd and I’ve heard that the NIA is virtually a sell-out, so it should be a great day.

How important is it to have a good indoor season?

Having a good indoor season sets up an athlete for a good outdoor season too. That kind of competitive preparation is really important. Running an indoor season also breaks up the long winter months.

How has your indoor season gone so far?

My indoor season is going well so far and I’ve already ran in quite a few meets. I’m looking to keep that good work going in Birmingham this weekend.

Will it be hard to beat the highs of 2012?

I think 2012 will be pretty hard to beat because having a home Olympics is always very special. Those memories will be fresh in everyone’s minds, including the athletes’. I think we need to take the events of 2012 and turn them into a legacy for athletics and hopefully the positive momentum from last summer will spill into 2013 too.

What tips would you give to aspiring athletes?

My biggest tip for young athletes is to try all events in athletics and join a local club – that way you can find out what’s best for you. I also learned a lot about the sport by watching old clips of athletes who were at the top of their game – you can always learn a lot from other people. My final piece of advice is to make sure you have fun doing it – it’s not always about being the best at what you do, it’s about making sure you enjoy yourself along the way.

You can follow Conrad on Twitter at @cwilliams400 and also watch his YouTube channel here