My grandfather died before I was born, so I never had the chance to speak with him about his father. But I learned about him from books.

It was when my American coach Dan Pfaff came over from the States in 2009 and started working with me that we really began to look at my diet. He decided I was eating too many carbohydrates, so I cut back on bread. Over the next year I lost weight and became leaner.

My dad is a builder, and my mum's a nurse. They're just very normal people.

I always start the day with a protein shake: protein powder mixed with water, peanut butter, and yoghurt to thicken it up.

As a jumper, I try to defy gravity as long as I can. But no matter how far I jump, I'll always hit the earth eventually.

I was always the slightly fat kid, which used to bother me quite a bit.

I've not received any major sponsorship deals or anything else.

I'm never happy to settle.

I have been in discussions with the BBC regarding my involvement with SPOTY after hearing what I believe to be very outdated and derogatory comments from a fellow SPOTY nominee.

It's all about proving it on the track and proving to people that have different views wrong.

I've got two chocolate labradors, Murphy and Dexter. They're like my children.

I seem to be the 'luckiest' athlete around - and that's one of the most frustrating things. You compete against a vast array of people and train your whole life for those moments.

My favourite series of all time has been 'Band of Brothers.' That was amazing; I've watched that so many times.

It would be pretty special if I could win two Olympic gold medals, one at the Summer Games and one from the Winters, so I'm going to give it a real go.

Ultimately, you've got to answer your critics on the track, and I am very much hoping 8.41m is acceptable for people.

The type of IBS I am prone to is the constipation type, where I get trapped wind and can get sharp painful spasms in my intestines as well as having sluggish bowels.

For a long time, I thought I'd be a physio if I wasn't a sportsman. At one point, I wanted to be an inventor, and I'd come up with little schemes.

Me and my brother just used to fight all the time; then my sister came along, and it was all about the little girl in the house. We'd always eat dinner together as a family.

I'm a very keen baker; I pride myself on my cakes. I go along the classic sponge line, but I like to jazz it up: I've made some psychedelic birthday cakes.

I train six days a week.

Jumping isn't as important to my training as you might think; I'm only in the sandpit once a week. There's a high risk factor of injury doing it, so instead, I rely on my progress in the gym to judge how far I'll jump on the big day.

Running up a steep hill or up steps are fantastic ways of building explosive strength.

When at home in Buckinghamshire, I tend to work out for two to three hours on the track or in the woods close by and then do weights.

I eat a lot of vegetables and salad. I put strawberries, pomegranate seeds, blackberries, and blueberries into shakes and add Greek yoghurt for a snack. I have this when I'm not training.

Fruit is carb-based, and I limit carbs when training hard.

I take magnesium to prevent cramps. A few years back, I suffered from hamstring tears, and part of that can be to do with muscle cramping, and then pushing the muscle at that point. I also take a fish oil supplement.

I do a lot of things like running hills and larger amounts of reps in the gym.

The DNA showed I have a level of endurance in me which I never really realised, which makes sense.

I'm a bit of a history goon, and I love all that. Anything that's medieval-based up until, probably, the Tudor period and just after, I'm quite into.

Even though arguably I could have done much better at school, I'd decided at a young age that I was going to be a professional sportsman at some sport. And at that stage, there was a bit of luck: I was fortunate to meet the right people at the right time to get me to where I am now.

I drive relatively fast - within the remits of the law, obviously - but I struggle with people who do stupid things on the road. I have a massive urge to shout expletives at them.

I want to jump far all the time and go out there and win medals.

I come into these competitions to win, not to get silver or bronze, so it is frustrating.

Athletics set the right sentiment for a clean and believable sport.

I'm excited by going 85 mph, head-first, down an ice track.

People forget that track and field is one of the hardest sports because we compete against all the world. There are many sports when you are up against only 15 or 20 countries.

If you look at the skeleton, the start is very important.

If you put me against most sprinters in the world, I reckon over a start I could get very close, if not take them.

I am pleased I went from fourth back into a medal position, but bronze is not good enough for me.

All I can do is turn up and compete.

If other people have problems with my competitions, then there's nothing I can do.

If the room falls silent for a moment, all I hear is white noise.

During your career, you put yourself in peak physical condition, but then you bear the brunt of it for the rest of your life.

I don't think there are many long jumpers who can say they have jumped so hard that have lost their hearing.

Hopefully, I can get multiple distances out there and re-establish myself as one of the best jumpers in the world.

Adrenaline is an incredible thing.

I am the Olympic, World, Commonwealth, and European champion now, and I hope that's enough for people to accept that I am a half-decent British athlete.

To put up with me, you have to be patient.

I'm very driven, and there are lots of things I can't do.

Ultimately, I'm enjoying what I'm doing.