Mentors to the stars recall the early years

Who will win Sports Personality of the Year tonight? Those who inspired the shortlisted candidates to glory provide a fascinating insight into their formative years

Dina was eight or nine when I first came across her. Even in those early days you knew she was very athletic, but what you did not know was how that would turn out in subsequent years and in what discipline she would excel in.

It could have been tiddlywinks, hockey, swimming or anything.

You could already see there that she was an intelligent little thing.

By the age of 13 you knew she was going to be a good sprinter, but world champion?

To go from there to world champion is a bit of a leap. All the ducks have lined up in a row and that does not always happen. I am obviously very proud of what she has achieved and I like to think that us working together has enhanced what she might have done individually. But it is a twoway partnership.

It gives you a reason to get up in the morning. Because she is a bright, intelligent girl, you can talk to her about all sorts. But also, it is how she gels with the training group. She is not a superstar in the group, even though people know that she is.

That is not how she acts. That gives me a lot of satisfaction that she does not get up on a pedestal.

I take a lot of pride in her as a person as well as an athlete because she is a very rounded individual.

She is not someone who is just looking at athletics from a viewpoint of performance all the time.

She knows that people do look to her to provide some form of inspiration and aspiration.

It is brilliant. She has got a lot going for her. I am delighted the way that she carries herself.

She has got my vote for Sports Personality of the Year, so she has got one at least!