Denise Lewis goes head-to-head today with the training partner she believes can become our next great heptathlete.
Kelly Sotherton is the girl tipped to maintain Britain's strong heritage in the two-day event.
Lewis and Sotherton are working side-by-side under the man who coached Denise to Olympic glory in 2000, Charles van Commenee.
Sotherton has made huge progress in the last 12 months following her decision to take up athletics full-time, and is currently ranked second in the world in 2004 behind world champion Carolina Kluft.
She and Lewis take on Marion Jones, Fiona May, Heike Dreschler, British colleague Jade Jones and two world-class Russians in the Norwich Union British Grand Prix at Gateshead this afternoon.
But whatever the outcome on track or runway today, Lewis has huge respect for what Sotherton - at 27, a late arrival on the world stage - has achieved.
"It's great to see someone who is prepared to give up everything and say: `I will do this properly'. Kelly is an example to those who cannot be bothered to give athletics everything.
"It's paid off for her and I'm delighted."
Lewis adds: "Training together has helped both of us. It was particularly good for me in the winter months, which can be a real slog."
