Home fans are part of the plan

MailSport, learning curve for myselfelf but I started gaining belief in myself and confidence in my ability.

“I was still very young. I didn’t know what to expect. I knew I had an ability to run. I didn’t have enough experience to be able to say I could be the greatest.

“But, w ith the last three years of great major competitions, I feel I deserve where I am today.”

With Bolt gone, and Mo Farah about to exit stage right, van Niekerk is about to feel the hype turned up a notch as track and field desperately searches for a new face to front up.

He said: “This is what I ’ ve been given as an athlete and I accept the responsibility. It’s one thing to be named as the next big thing. It’s another to back it up.

“I feel that I’ve put in a good ef fort to become the next big star at this competition – but I feel I can still do better.” Chris O’Hare insists he won’t let the London crowd distract him from his medal quest tonight.

The Scot goes into 1500metres final with a genuine shot at ending up on the podium – 20 minutes after childhood pal Lynsey Sharp makes her own tilt in the 800m.

But despite his brilliant form over the summer, and the early exit of Olympic champion Matt Centrowitz, O’Hare doesn’t plan to get carried away by talk of a crack at gold.

He said: “I never dream about those sorts of things. I’ll just stick to my plan. I’ll have that to execute and if I do that, I won’t be disappointed.

“A medal would mean everything, on home soil it would be even better.”

O’Hare will be cheered on by wife Meredith and eight-month-old son Ronan from afar, with the pair back at their home in Boston.

And he admits becoming a family man is just one reason he’s moved on since crashing out in the semis at Rio 2016.

He said: “I’m healthy and more importantly, I’m happy with where I am, what I have at home, where I’m at in the sport. That’s huge.”