Olympic profile: Simeon Williamson

Meet one of the three British 100m hopefuls

Athletic ability obviously runs in Simeon Williamson's family.

While the 22-year-old is in Beijing competing in the 100m, his second cousin Germaine Mason is representing Britain in the high jump.

And then there's his gran.

He told Newsbeat: "She was down in the market buying some food when someone bumped into her, and she felt her purse come out of her pocket.

"She looked at the woman who had taken it and then just ran her down, shook her a bit, and got her purse back."

And it's that speed off the blocks that has got the north London student to Beijing.

His personal best this year is 10.03, and only Dwain Chambers beat him in the Olympic qualifiers at Birmingham.

He says nothing can prepare you for those moments alone in the start blocks.

He said: "It's not a team event, it's just you. Once you're on the start line, your coach is not there, your training partner isn't there, it's just you.

"It's not stressful, but it's a lot of pressure, there's a lot of pressure on that start line."

Simeon has cut down on junk food and home cooking for Beijing

In Beijing he'll be lining up against the fastest men on the planet, but the 22-year-old isn't letting it get to him.

He said: "Asafa Powell, Tyson Gay, there's quite a few sprinters out there who are quicker than me at the moment.

"So we've just got to see what happens on the day, anything can happen on the day."

Sacrifices

He listens to Amy Winehouse and Wiley, supports Arsenal, and his original plan was to be a footballer.

But his mum made him go to church instead, because she didn't want him playing in a Sunday league.

And that's not the only sacrifice he's had to make.

"I was getting better year by year but I was still eating KFC and the junk food, and my mum and nan's cooking every day. Sometimes you've got to break it off.

"I'm missing out on a few things, like some of my friends are going to Malia and Ayia Napa this time of year and I've never got to experience that.

"I'd like to go out there for a week, but this is my job. This is the hardest I've worked.

"If everything progresses as it should do, then I think it should be alright."