McConnell warns doubters

The former world and reigning Olympic 400m champion has endured a miserable season, with a best time of 51.47 seconds ranking her 36th in the world and only fourth in Great Britain.

In contrast, McConnell's time of 51.01 at the Aviva Grand Prix in Crystal Palace puts her top of the UK rankings, meaning she arrives at the tournament in South Korea brimming with renewed confidence.

"I think people have been a bit harsh in judging Christine's fitness and I definitely wouldn't write her off and she has proved in the past what a mistake that can be," she said.

"She has run slower going into other championships and has then delivered, and I think dismissing her chances has been a bit premature by some people, they might regret it."

Ohuruogu herself has little time for those who dismiss her proven championship credentials, even when they include track and field legend Michael Johnson.

She is locked down in full defensive mood, as she was before her world title win Osaka four years ago, perhaps drawing inspiration from that old adage about form and class.

"Unfortunately what we do is so public, everybody has an opinion, everybody is an athlete, everybody can run, everybody can do 400m, everybody can coach 400m, everybody knows what you should be doing yet they don't seem to be doing it themselves," she said.

"So as far as I'm concerned, until you've done what I've done in my athletics career, then you can't really comment.

"It is difficult to say what my goals are for the worlds but in general it is the same as it always is - I'll be there pushing for the final, that's pretty much what I like to do.

"Once I make the final, then I think that's another game were going to have to play when we get there.

"I think my shape is coming along, for me I don't really need that much training under my legs, I just need to get specific things done.

"It's not really something I dwell on, I just say there is going to be times where you'll have to do something when you seem under-prepared.

"But then it might happen again next year, who knows? Maybe I'm a lot more prepared than I think am, I just don't know it yet, who knows?"

Ohuruogu admits she has experienced some dark days since landing her Beijing gold medal but during it all, her coach Lloyd Cowan has been a rock in her recovery from a series of injuries.

His word is gospel and Ohuruogu admits she no longer listens or cares about the views of others around her.

"It's a hard sport because everything you do is in the spotlight and the public domain," she added.

"If you run one race and it's awful people are going to talk about, whatever you do is going to be picked upon.

"I just listen to my coach and he is the only person I will listen to, that's the way I deal with things, because I know he is smart enough and knows me well enough and if things are going wrong, how we're going to fix it.

"He's not too proud that he cant listen to other people, so I trust him that whatever happens he will sort it and get it fixed.

"As long as my coach tells me we're good and I feel we're good then we're good."

Meanwhile, it is nine years since McConnell ran her personal best of 50.82, a fact which frustrates the 32-year old Scot.

But her recent performance in London was her third quickest time ever over one lap, which cemented her place on the British team after placing a distant and disappointing fourth in the trials.

"It irritates me that it stretches back that far because I feel like I've been in better shape, I've just not delivered on the track," she adds.

"If I can dip under 51 seconds at the championships I would be really pleased with that, and if I can run a personal best as well, that would be great."

However, McConnell's best chance of a medal remains the 4x400m relay - from which she already has bronzes from the 2005 and 2007 championships in Helsinki and Osaka.

Eight athletes will contest the four available places and in Olympic year competition will be even stronger with Shana Cox, who transferred allegiance from the USA to Great Britain, available for selection.

"We have got a good squad out here," adds McConnell.

"To get on the podium we just need to deliver our best performances on that one night and that is a difficult thing because you are looking at four girls doing it at the same time.

"What I need to do is to put in a strong individual run to hopefully book my place because we have got a very good squad and no-one's position in there is definite.

"We don't pick the team until the day before and when everyone has completed their individual races because that shows what peoples current form is.

"But I think the squad is in the top four in the world so we should be up there and challenging for medals."