Lewis sets sights on Athens

Denise Lewis hopes to be flying the flag in Athens 2004

Denise Lewis revealed her intention to defend her Olympic hepthalon title in 2004.

Despite suffering aches and pains after sustaining a foot injury during the long jump, Lewis outlined her plans for Athens to achieve the same feat as multi-event maestro Daley Thompson.

Thompson successfully defended his decathlon title in Los Angeles in 1984 and instantly became an Olympic hero and Lewis is aiming to join him up there with the greats.

It would be great to do my best ever performance at the Olympic Games and I would like to do another one and for it to be emphatic

  Denise Lewis

Over six million Britons cheered the 28-year-old on from their homes on Grandstand on BBC One on Sunday morning as she took the gold.

She said: "I'm in the sport for self-gratification and fulfilling my own ambitions.

Two Olympic golds

"Winning an Olympic title was everything. But I always said I had two Olympic gold medals in me.

"It would be great to do my best ever performance at the Olympic Games and I would like to do another one and for it to be emphatic."

The Birchfield Harrier displayed her determination to win gold when she ran the 800m through the pain barrier, but revealed she had lost her running shoes just minutes before the race.

She said: "There was a frantic rush because my feet were really sore and no-one could find my shoes.

The 800m hurt Lewis

"One of the bags I kept my 800m shoes in had gone missing and there was a lot of drama.

"I was really preoccupied with the pain in my foot, but thankfully I got them back just in time for the race."

Delighted

Lewis is to see doctors in the next fortnight to discover the full extent of her injury, but she was delighted to become only the sixth female athlete to take gold in the Olympics.

"It's a long time since Sally's gold and if I can be a role model in any way I'm happy to be so," she said.

"It's great to see women up there, doing their best and contributing to sporting excellence.

"It's a big problem in Britain getting children to participate. Hopefully these things have a knock-on effect and hopefully it is a positive one."