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Raise Your Game: How do you deal with the disappointment of not winning a race?

Tasha Danvers-Smith: I train really hard and losing a race is very difficult for me. When you're training for the Olympics you have certain markers that you want to reach and winning your national championships is one of those.

RYG: How do you remain focused after a low moment?

TDS: Keep your eye on the ultimate goal. This isn't the ultimate goal. This would have been a good confidence booster or a good stepping stone but it's not the Olympics. I got injured last year and ran some poor times but I believed in myself and I believed that I could get the job done. I have bigger goals this year and I don't just want to make it to the Olympic final, I want to win a medal and to do that I have to stay focused.

RYG: You've had one setback but as a strong person, what do you need to do to bring yourself back from this disappointment?

TDS: As much as it hurts not to win the UK National Championships, and run the way I've been running, I have to stay positive. It's hard for me when I lose so I'm very emotional at the moment but once today is over and I wake up in the morning I have to start all over again because I can't take back this day.

I can't go back and re-run it to see if I can win it the next time around. I have to say to myself "Ok, that's done," and keep my eye on the ultimate prize because I know that I have as much talent as anyone else out there.

RYG: How will you and your coach ensure you're fully prepared for the challenge of the Olympic final?

TDS: I've been away from my coach for a couple of months but he's here again today and after watching my performance he has told me that he's seen a lot of things that we need to work on so I'll be working on those things until the morning of the race and we'll see what happens then.

RYG: How do you use your strong sense of self belief to work towards your goal of a strong Olympic performance?

TDS: The difficult thing is, if you get sidelined by situations like this then it's all downhill from there. The only way to have a chance to compete well at the Olympics is to maintain your goal.

You can't just set your goal aside because you've had a hiccup here or there. I have to be able to believe in myself despite what the paperwork and the race results say because once I give up believing in myself, it's all over.