Scottish 400m hurdler looks back on her victory at the European Championships in Zurich on August 16, 2014

Zurich was at the back of my mind that summer – the Commonwealth Games had been the focus – but I didn’t expect to be going into the Europeans as the favourite, ranked No.1. 

My 2014 season was really consistent. I don’t think I was out of the top three in any of my races and although the Commonwealths was just a real whirlwind of a championships, it wasn’t physically as demanding, because I only had two races. 

That meant I was in good shape physically to go to the Europeans – it was more about the emotional and mental side of things to build up and go again.

Zurich is such an iconic athletics venue and the Swiss love their athletics so the stadium is full and the crowd gets behind you in every single race. You can step into that. It’s got a presence about it. 

What makes a difference there is the way they bring the athletes out. You’re under the stadium and then you’re brought out on the side. You aren’t walked round, it’s straight on to the start line, so it’s quite intense. It’s intimidating but it’s impressive as well. 

Coming out of a Commonwealth Games at Hampden Park, you didn’t want to then go to a Europeans which felt a bit flatter, but it was amazing. The Swiss were quite knowledgeable about the 400m hurdles because they had the likes of Lea Sprunger and Petra Fontanive in the event. It meant the home crowd were interested. 

Part of my consistency in 2014 was because my stride pattern was solid. My perfect race was the Diamond League meeting in Glasgow before the Commonwealths, because that was when I was in the shape to really nail that pattern. But, actually, when it came to Europeans I was probably that bit quicker. 

The stride was automatic – it was about just going out there and executing again. That was quite calming for me and all Malcolm Arnold, my coach, said to me before my race was: “Just go and do what you’ve been doing all year.” It was as simple as that, really. 

I pretty much knew, if I did that, I would be in with a good chance of winning it – unless somebody decided to really raise their game and run out of their skin, in comparison to what they had been doing all season. 

The only time I took my concentration away was when I came off the last hurdle. I knew my stride path to the last hurdle, I came over it and I was like: “I’m winning this.” 

I changed my attitude from running and executing my race to “I’m going to win this.” I tightened up and, coming to the finish line, everybody just caught right up on me. That was just because I’d switched from thinking “just run this race” to “I’m becoming European champion”.

I knew in my head that I’d won but you don’t see everyone in your peripheral vision and there were people either side of me finishing fast. I didn’t want to make an ass of myself and be celebrating – only to then be told “no, it wasn’t you who won it”.

I was looking for Phil Jones, the BBC interviewer, afterwards. He gave me a thumbs up, a “you got it” sort of thing but I had to wait until it came on the big screen before I could actually enjoy it and say, “okay, I’ve won” so my celebration was a little bit flat. 

Malcolm just gave me a hug afterwards and said that was great. That’s pretty much the most praise you’re ever going to get from him but I think he was delighted. Probably looking back to 2013, particularly at the World Championships, he just saw me make silly mistakes.  

He always knew that, if I got the race right, there was so much more potential there and so much more I could achieve. I think he was just grateful that I’d gone there and done what I was capable of doing. 

I probably didn’t appreciate the pressure the Europeans brought until it was over and I was standing on the podium. I don’t really get very emotional when it comes to my athletics but I cried on the podium. I’ve never cried on the podium before. I think it was just sheer relief that it was over and I’d done it. I could just let it all go.

It was just a different pressure at those Europeans. They give you the bloody blue number, so everybody knows you’re No.1 and that you should win. But anything can happen, so it’s about just nailing the performance.

That medal means the most to me. When people ask me, “what did you do … what was your event?” I always say 400m hurdler. I’m a hurdler who runs 400m indoors. I got the world indoor medal for the 400m and I’ve got an Olympic medal in the 4x400m relay, but I see myself as being a 400m hurdler. So that’s why that one’s special. And that it’s a gold.

You’re a champion. You are European champion, which is something. I remember going to Barcelona for the 2010 Europeans and seeing the athletes and thinking, “wow, these girls are just a different class than me”. 

To then go and achieve what they achieved … to be able to stand on top of the podium, with a gold in your favourite event, it’s so special.