Are you still on a high after Beijing? I am a person who can compartmentalise. I really want to finish the season on a high and have been focusing on that. There was a lot of press attention the first week after the Olympic Games, but I have to try to get my body to perform still because it is quite tiring following a major championships

Is it easy balancing out being a full-time mum and a full-time athlete? It is one of the hardest things. There is a great deal that has to be taken into consideration. Even now, my son really needs to see me but I have to work. His grandparents are looking after him - and really they should not have to do that job

Are you a good person to get into an argument with? Not really, because I do not like arguing. People who know me would probably suggest that I like to have the final say, but if I get to a point where I see we are not going to agree, I just like to leave it at that. I still might not budge on my opinion, but that doesn’t mean we have to argue about it

You are a Londoner who lives in Los Angeles. Was that hard to adjust to? It was because I was a bit naive, thinking that because America is an English-speaking country, I would just move. It is not like that. There is a huge cultural difference. The most irritating thing is probably being copied when you talk and it becomes a bit redundant after a while

Are you excited about the Olympics coming to London in 2012? I really am. I was born and raised in London and it is a fantastic city. I am just glad I have the opportunity to be part of it during my career

Have you ever had a row with any officials? I have had some officials get on my nerves. I remember one year, I was starting a race in lane eight and as I was listening out for the commands from the starter, somebody was talking on a mobile phone and the crowd were incredibly close to the track. I found it hard to concentrate, so I put my hand up because I was distracted and one of the officials wanted to know what the problem was. I said, “Could you ask the people to be quiet for the start?” But he told me not to do that again and if I did then I would be disqualified. I wanted to punch him on the nose. I thought: “If you are in that position, you need to understand the sport”. It was a valid reason for the starter to hold the start

What advice would you have for any youngsters coming into the sport? Do not expect it to be easy. If you are talented, do not take that talent for granted because once you reach a certain level, everybody is talented. If you are able to elevate yourself up to bigger and better competitions, then what success you have is going to depend on how you work from that point. If you work hard, you are going to be one of the people with talent who stands out

Does it help that your coach, Darrell Smith, is also your husband? It is about 50-50. It helps because he knows me and if things are going on, he does not have to try to figure out what it is. Other athletes might turn up to the track for training with an attitude or they might well be grumpy or feeling down. He would already know how I was feeling before we get to the track. At the same time, it can be a negative because if something is going on at home, it is sometimes hard to separate that from working at the track

What is the last thing you do at night? I usually listen to a positive-thinking CD and before that I will pray

How is your singing career going? I was a music industry major, studying the business side of music, and I would write songs, but doing that now involves fitting it in around my son and my athletics career

What were you like at school? I was not one of the kids who could hide their report from their mum, like some youngsters did. I probably got a couple of detentions here and there, once for turning on the Bunsen burners in the science room, but that was about it

A QUESTION OF TASTE
Favourite holiday destination? Jamaica
Beer or wine? Neither, but probably wine. Beer does not sound like something that would be a ‘Natasha D’ thing
Chinese or Indian? Chinese. I like chicken fried rice
Arsenal or Spurs? I am not a huge football fan but I have always liked Arsenal George Clooney or Tom Cruise? George Clooney, all day
Amy Winehouse. Serious musician or dope head? I hope she gets better because she is a phenomenal artist