Christine OhuruoguChristine Ohuruogu is convinced one of the biggest threats to her stated ambition of claiming a third consecutive Olympic 400 metres athletics medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 could come from close to home.
After a year that saw Ohuruogu add a second world gold to her increasingly illustrious collection, it might be stretching the point to suggest the 29-year-old Londoner is looking over her shoulder just yet.
But Ohuruogu believes younger sister Vicky – who is nine years her junior – is beginning to show signs of emerging from her considerable shadow and making a world-class name of her own.
The younger Ohuruogu was part of Great Britain’s bronze medal-winning relay squad at the Moscow World Champion-ships alongside her sister, in a year which saw her lower her 400m personal best to 53.09 seconds in Cork.
Christine Ohuruogu said she “feels bad” that her own success makes it harder for her sister but has challenged her to shatter the assumption she will always be left trailing in the former Olympic champion’s wake.
Ohuruogu said: “I want her to beat me. Don’t just think that because I’m the older one I have to be in front all the time.
“You try to beat me because that will make me work as well.
“I hope that by encouraging her to set her standards high, she can see my work ethic and is willing to follow that.
“I’m not just saying this because she’s my sister, but I really do like the way she approached the 400m.
“I think it’s always going to be hard for her being compared to me and having me in the group. When I told her I was staying on for Rio I think I heard a slight groan because she knows she’s going to have to deal with me.
“I’ve told Vicky I’ll teach her everything I know but ultimately the work stops with her.
“I can’t run a race for her. That’s what she’s going to have to learn herself. I just want her to run and set her own goals and feel pleasure working towards them.”