Work, rest and play – Richard Kilty

World indoor 60m champion Richard Kilty blitzed to an unexpected victory in Sopot earlier this year, and more recently took gold in the 4x100m at the European Championships.

Here the Briton reveals more about himself as he answers our work, rest and play questions.

Richard at work

What is your favourite training session?

Richard Kilty: Blocks. I love the competition between me and my training partners James Ellington and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.

What is your least favourite session?

RK: I don’t like the long training sessions over 250m or 300m. I like all my sessions to be fast and competitive and I find running long 300s a bit boring and not so competitive.

What are your three favourite things about being an athlete?

RK: I love the opportunity it gives me to travel around the world. I love the thrill of competition and the chance to take on the best people in the world. Thirdly, it is also cool to be acknowledged by the public.

Who is your favourite training partner?

RK: I like James Ellington. We are seen as the “bad boys of the track scene” but we train really hard together and make great training partners.

Do you have a favourite training venue?

RK: I would say Arizona or anywhere in the US because it is warm and I come from a cold country where it is always raining!

Richard at rest

Where is your favourite place to relax?

RK: I like going for walks in the countryside. I love walking up a hill near where I hail from called Roseberry Topping. I walk up the hill maybe once a month either by myself or with my girlfriend

Describe your perfect non-training day.

RK: I’d get up and have a full English breakfast. I’d then go shopping and buy some nice clothes and maybe go to the cinema. I’d then go out for something to eat in the evening where I’d have lots of bad food.

If you could pick one athlete from the world of track and field with whom to spend a day to relax, who would it be?

RK: Michael Johnson. I’d love to learn more from him about how he stayed on top for so long and how he managed to take athletics to a new level. I’d also love to know how he trained which allowed him to be so versatile between two events.

What is your favourite film?

RK: I have two: Braveheart and Gladiator. I love the history behind both films. I visited the William Wallace memorial in Scotland. I was really intrigued by that whole period of history.

What is your favourite food?

RK: It would have to be something really sweet like a red velvet cheesecake.

Richard at play

Why do you have a passion for boxing?

RK: My first memories of boxing were watching Mike Tyson (former world heavyweight champion) fight and I’ve always loved the sport since then. I love how dedicated the fighters are and I always get excited watching the best in the world fight.

Have you ever boxed?

RK: Many family members have boxed and it is a big part of the culture from where I grew up. I do the odd sparring session in my spare time. It is good for building fitness and basic conditioning.

Who is your all-time favourite boxer?

RK: From history it would be Muhammad Ali (former world heavyweight champion) but modern day it would be Floyd Mayweather (the man commonly regarded as the world’s No.1 pound-for-pound boxer). I love the fact he is confident and flashy. He is also unbeaten and a great boxer.

Which track and field athlete would be best suited to the boxing ring?

RK: Walter Dix (the 2008 Olympic 100m and 200m bronze medallist from the US) is a stocky, aggressive kind of guy who I think would be a good boxer

Which boxer do you think would make the best athlete?

RK: Roy Jones Jnr (a six-time world champion) would maybe make a great decathlete because he has a real good base of athleticism.

Steve Landells for the IAAF