Ben Pattison won world 800m bronze on his global championships debut last summer - now he hopes to stun the best at Paris 2024.
"I feel like I did surprise quite a few people. Some of them had probably never even heard of me. Now I know they definitely have."
A hard-earned, guilt-free off-season in the United States aside, he could not have hoped to set himself up any better for an attempt at becoming Britain's first Olympic men's 800m medallist since Sebastian Coe 40 years ago. "I want to push on by matching or even topping that at the Olympics. There will be a target on my back, because people actually know who I am, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. I feel like I can beat anyone on my day."
"I have been fine ever since the operation but it is something that can come back," says Pattison, who continues to have regular check-ups. He has certainly made up for what he perceives as lost time, with a rapid rise to global prominence since. Having already achieved the Olympic qualifying standard, Pattison's immediate priority will be to make the top two at the British trials in June to secure his Team GB place. Yet to win a British title, he says that is motivation in itself.
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