Ohuruogu 'forging own path' after comparisons to sister

Victoria Ohuruogu won world, European and Commonwealth medals in 2022

"It was just completely hectic. Everyone was screaming. I think we had knocks on our door straight away."

That was the scene in Victoria Ohuruogu's living room as her sister Christine triumphed to win 400m gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

"It still gives me goosebumps watching," Victoria, 31, told BBC Radio London.

"My parents were so nervous they couldn't stand in the room, I think my mum was peeking through the door, she was so scared."

In preparing to make her own Olympic debut at Paris 2024, Victoria reflects on a unique journey in athletics that has required years of perseverance to step out of her sister's shadow.

"To be completely honest, I really did struggle," admitted the Commonwealth 400m silver medallist.

"Everyone, as much as they could, did try to separate us, but it was just inevitable that I was always kind of clubbed in with my sister and everyone would compare us a lot."

Victoria Ohuruogu hands the baton to sister Christine during their relay race at the 2014 World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland

This year marks a decade since Victoria won her first international medal.

She ran in the 4x400m relay heats alongside Christine at the 2014 World Indoor Championships, with Great Britain taking bronze in the final.

Getting a chance on that stage required patience after travelling with the relay squad to the World Championships the year before and not getting picked to run.

"I was so young on the team. It really opened my eyes," said Victoria.

"I just remember being really fresh-faced and kind of not knowing what was going on and being completely enamoured by all of the athletes I was seeing in the canteen.

"Now that I'm a bit older, I'm quite proud of the journey I've had. It's been a bit up and down, but I've managed to keep it together."

Ohuruogu's 400m personal best from the 2014 season remained in place until 2021.

Having missed out on the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she made a brilliant comeback to the international stage two years ago, winning medals at all three major championships held during the 2022 season.

She also smashed her lifetime best that year, clocking a time of 50.50 seconds to top the UK rankings.

Christine Ohuruogu won Olympic gold in 2008, world titles in 2007 and 2013, and retired six years ago

'Happy and healthy' Ohuruogu aiming for her best in Paris

"When I wasn't reaching those expectations, I was very hard on myself," she said.

"It's just taken me a few years to forge my own path.

"With the help of my sister as well now, it's a bit more helpful now that she is out of the sport."

Victoria's most recent hurdle has been to overcome disruption caused by an anti-doping case in which she was cleared of any violation.

It had been alleged that she was being coached by her boyfriend Antonio Infantino, who is serving a three-year doping ban.

Rules state that athletes must not work in a professional or sport-related capacity with coaches, or other athlete support personnel, currently serving such bans.

But the allegation was dismissed by a UK Anti-Doping panel and Ohuruogu's UK Sport funding was reinstated earlier this year.

"It was a bit of a stall, but we made it through. I had good friends and family around me that helped me," she said.

"I'm getting my running legs a bit later in the season, probably because of all that, but I'm healthy, I'm here, and just want to focus on doing the best I can at these Olympic Games."

Victoria comes into Paris in good form, having set a season's best of 50.76 at the recent London Diamond League meeting.

She has been watching back that 2008 Beijing final ahead of the Games, while also trying to find time to focus on her artistic talents away from the track.

"I call myself a sculptor. My work is definitely inspired by sport," she said.

"It's very much shapes and symmetry. It's playful, colourful.

"I love looking at tracks from above. I love the symmetry of the lines and circles."

At the Stade de France, Victoria has more than just a birds-eye view, or a seat in her living room like 16 years ago as she now, in her own words, "marches to the beat of her own drum."

Some of Victoria Ohuruogu's artwork has previously been exhibited in London