'I'M AT EASE WITH MYSELF NOW'

Dame Kelly Holmes talks about slowing down at 55, life with partner Louise and hanging out with her alpacas

- 

Double-gold Olympic medal winner Dame Kelly Holmes is enjoying some much-needed downtime after a busy 12 months — no doubt tending to her herd of five alpacas that live in a field near her Kent home.

“Alpacas may not be the first thing you think of when you think of me,” the 55-year-old chuckles. “But I love my boys. Like me, they love being outside in the fresh air.” Kelly's version of “downtime”, though, also features regular Parkruns, motivational speaking and chatting on Loose Women, of course.

Here, the former British middle-distance runner — who came out as gay three years ago and is in a long-term relationship with massage therapist Louise Cullen - talks about trans women in sport, why she’s taken the pressure off herself and her “overwhelming” achievement.

Hi, Kelly! You had a very busy year last year...

I was travelling all over the world, often doing five or six speaking engagements a week, I had my big 20-year medal celebrations and visiting Machu Picchu for charity. But burnout is a big issue for me, by January I could feel something wasn’t right health wise.

So you've slowed down now?