In my headphones I could hear BBC's golf correspondent, Iain Carter, hand over to me from the USPGA championship in Minnesota, and the next thing I knew I'm live on the radio, talking to Usain Bolt.

I work out my questions in advance, just in case, in the heat of the battle, I get brain fade and it all goes to mush just at the wrong moment.

You have to take a big deep breath and tell yourself to concentrate, a bit like an athlete visualising their race in the calm moments before the gun goes bang.

Hundreds of fans had stayed behind craning to get a photo of their idol, so a cool head was even more essential to block out all the hullabaloo.

And then it was over, almost as fast as Bolt burst out of the blocks, and the sense of relief was palpable. The man of the moment sauntered off to take a phone call from the Prime Minister of Jamaica, while I just sat and marvelled at how privileged I'd been to witness it all.

Seven years ago, I was asked if I wanted to be 5 live's athletics reporter, and little did I know where it would all lead. I went to the Olympics in Athens and Beijing and here we are in Berlin for the 12th IAAF World Championships.

It's my job to interview the athletes, and hopefully give the listener a sense of the emotion and sheer drama of it all.

At a big event like this, I work in a specially built interview area near the finish line. I'm not sure there's a better view in the whole stadium. It's called the 'mixed zone', because it's where the athletes and the broadcast journalists are brought together after each race for interviews.

The athletes have to walk through this area to meet various obligations, but they certainly don't have to talk to you if they don't want to, and I've been turned down on more than one occasion! You learn when it's worth asking an athlete for a quick word and equally you soon learn when to back off.

Having been in the role since 2002, you build a rapport, particularly with the British athletes who appreciate a familiar face. There are plenty of highs and lows and sometimes I've been a shoulder to cry on when it's all gone wrong.

You want to remain impartial, so you can ask the killer question if you have to, but sometimes you can't help just giving someone a hug when you know their dreams have been shattered.

On the flip side there are the moments that will live with you forever. In Athens 2004 I was one of the first people to talk to Kelly Holmes after she took her second gold medal and it's been a joy to watch Jessica Ennis here in Germany. You couldn't wish to talk to a nicer person and the smile on her face when she realised what she'd achieved has left an indelible impression.

It's a massive operation in the 'Mixed Zone.' If I tell you that I'm position number 22 here in Berlin it gives you some idea just how many TV channels and radio stations want to cover the World Championships.

Bob Neumeier is a lucky man. He's the reporter with the American network, NBC, and has pole position in the interview area. It means when Usain Bolt produces another stunning performance he knows he's going to get the very first interview.

I have to be patient and wait my turn, but at least it gives me the chance to work out what I want to ask and liaise with my producer Francesca Bent about whether the interview will be live or recorded.

It was an easy choice with Bolt. He could have as much air time as he wants right now. He spoke to every single reporter after his breath-taking performance, which was impressive in its own way. He loved every second and the sport loves him back.

In recent weeks there's been a succession of medical bulletins with key athletes either struggling with injury or out of this summer's showpiece altogether.

Marathon runner Mara Yamauchi, who was second in London this year, Olympic bronze medallist Tasha Danvers and heptathlete Kelly Sotherton will all be left behind with one ailment or another. And they're not alone in spending more time on the treatment table than on the track.

Christine Ohuruogu, Nicola Sanders, Goldie Sayers, Lisa Dobriskey and Martyn Rooney have all had a frustrating season so far with setbacks that have threatened to end their season. Tim Benjamin has simply quit altogether because his body can't take it any more while there's still no word from France on Paula Radcliffe's immediate future.

It seems that Charles Van Commenee's first significant championships as head coach are in danger of being jeopardised with his team ravaged by injury.

It's hardly the ideal build-up for Britain but there were some positive signs at the Aviva Grand Prix at Crystal Palace. This was the last chance to impress the selectors with the team named on Tuesday. So far, only a handful of athletes have booked their passage to Berlin because they won their event at the trials in Birmingham and have got the all-important qualifying standard. The rest face an anxious wait to see if they've done enough to get the nod.

So who is set to impress and could even bring home a medal for Britain?

The outstanding contender wasn't even in London over the past two days.
Heptathlete Jessica Ennis is completing her preparations at more low-key events this week, but will soon take centre stage as Britain's best hope of a gold medal.

The 23-year-old missed the Olympics in Beijing, but has leapt to the top of the world rankings on her return and is red-hot favourite. Kelly Sotherton is convinced her former rival will take the title: "She's a very strong athlete in fantastic shape."

The fact that Ennis opens with her two strongest events, the 100m hurdles and the high jump, could set her on the way to something special.

Christine Ohuruogu was at Crystal Palace, but as a guest of the sponsors because of a slight hamstring injury. The Olympic champion seemed relaxed and remains determined to defend the title she won in Osaka two years ago.

"Get me on the start line with my race head on and I won't leave any stone unturned," she said.

Ohuruogu has proved she's a championship performer and can't be discounted. Whether she can hold off Sanya Richards to take gold remains to be seen.

With an Olympic silver medal to his name, Phillips Idowu is certainly in the frame. 5 Live pundit Steve Backley believes the triple jumper is more than capable of winning a medal but has reservations about his current form.

"His last two outings have looked less than convincing," said Backley.

Idowu endured a mixed evening with three fouls to finish third behind American Brandon Roulhac, who jumped a career best of 17.33.

He's as laid back as most Jamaicans but Germaine Mason hates to lose and a silver medal from Beijing is proof of that. He competes for Britain now, of course, and is hitting form at the right time after, guess what, an injury! He cleared 2.31m to go joint fifth in the world.

"It just seems he's coming right at the perfect time," added a suitably impressed Backley.

Michael Bingham might not be a household name, but Backley has tipped him for a possible medal. The American-born athlete ran a season's best to win the men's 400m in 45.03secs and could sneak into the mix. He'll certainly be key to Britain's relay prospects in the 4x400m, along with Rooney and Robert Tobin.

Photo: Rob Cox

There were also notable performances from Jemma Simpson in the women's 800m and Chris Tomlinson in the men's long jump. Simpson in particular believes she's made a significant breakthrough and can challenge the best in the world. "Previously, I felt like I was running everyone else's race," she said, "now I feel like I'm running my own race and it's working for me."

Elsewhere, there was a welcome return for a few familiar faces and just in the nick of time Nicola Sanders won the women's 400m after missing the trials through injury.

The silver medallist in Osaka is making a timely comeback and is confident she can make up for lost training and competition. Lisa Dobriskey has hardly raced this year due to a catalogue of injuries but forced the selectors to sit up and take note with a strong run in the 1500m. She finished fourth in Beijing and the selectors will surely place their faith in her again.

Goldie Sayers is likely to make the team in the javelin. She nearly called time on her season this week because of a back injury, but came close to 60m at Crystal Palace which should secure her a place on the team.

It'll be interesting to see the final make-up of the British team for Berlin when it's revealed on Tuesday. Britain won four track-and-field medals in Beijing and in reality it's likely to be an equally small number this time round as well.

It remains a team in development and the true test will come in London in 2012. But, for now, Ennis will be one of the first to start in Berlin and, if all goes to plan, she could well take gold to give Britain the perfect platform - and then who knows what might follow?

He was trying to put a brave face on it and he remained defiant, but the fact he failed to appear 24 hours later for the 200m told its own story.

The warning signs were there as Simeon Williamson stormed to victory in his semi-final and suddenly you sensed Chambers had a challenger.

It's possible that we've witnessed a changing of the guard in Birmingham with Williamson at the forefront of a new era for British sprinting.

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You could hear a pin drop as the protagonists lined up for the final of the 100m and as the race unfolded a new star was born.

Williamson powered down the track to become Britain's top sprinter and if it hadn't been quite so windy he could even have ducked under the magic 10 second barrier.

The result leaves Chambers in limbo. With the winner picked automatically for next month's World Championships in Berlin - and Williamson is comfortably inside the qualifying time - the other two spots in the men's 100m for are down to the selectors.

Chambers could struggle to prove his worth because he hasn't been invited to run at the London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace in a fortnight's time and isn't welcome at many meetings across Europe.

With youngsters like Tyrone Edgar and Craig Pickering finishing just behind Chambers at the trials, there could be a case to take them both to Berlin and leave Chambers behind.

After all, new head coach Charles van Commenee won't pick Chambers for the relay because he can't run at the London Olympics, so is there any point taking him to the Worlds?

He was Europe's fastest man until Williamson edged ahead, and Chambers remains confident he can perform at the highest level.

"I've still got a month to go to get myself ready and I will be" he said. But at 31 years of age, is it the beginning of the end for one of the sport's most controversial characters?

How can he possibly beat Usain Bolt if he can't beat Simeon Williamson?

Maybe in the fullness of time, it'll be no disgrace to lose to Britain's new number one.

At 6ft 2in tall, and almost as wide, Williamson wouldn't look out of place on a rugby pitch.

At almost 15 stone he's honest enough to admit he needs to lose some weight, but he's a powerful-looking athlete, with huge potential.

As a teenager he dreamed of being a footballer but his mum insisted he went to church on a Sunday, so that put paid to that.

He chose athletics instead and perhaps now she'll get some thanks. He took gold at the European U23 Championships in 2007 and has been making steady progress since.

Williamson perhaps under-performed in Beijing, but has since been training with Asafa Powell among others in Jamaica and it looks like it's starting to pay off.

The big target now apart from making the final in Berlin is to break 10 seconds. "I know it's waiting to come out," he said.

Maybe he'll get dragged to a quick time in Paris on Friday night when he lines up alongside the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt.

It's the fourth leg of the IAAF Golden League, and you can hear the men's 100m live on BBC Radio 5 Live at 2040 BST.

Someone else with the world at their feet is Jessica Ennis. She couldn't stop smiling after winning the high jump and the 100m hurdles on Sunday after battling back from a horrible ankle injury that kept her out of the Olympics.

Small in stature, but a huge talent, she's currently the best heptathlete in the world and favourite for the title in Berlin.

"It shocks me every day that I've come back and I'm number one in the world" she said, before breaking into another smile.

Ennis is a cover girl for the sport in the making, but don't write off Kelly Sotherton, the Olympic bronze medallist from Athens, who is also on the comeback trail after a chronic heel injury.

She spent the whole of March with her foot in a protective boot, has only been back in action for the last six weeks and is having physiotherapy every day in a bid to be competitive in Berlin.

Sotherton did the long jump, shot put and high jump at the trials and remains one to watch.

She may need a huge slice of luck as well, and so too could Dwain Chambers.

Christine Ohuruogu leaned on the railing in front of me close to exhaustion and said nothing. It seemed like the silence would go on forever. She knew she hadn't run well and was honest enough to admit it.

This was supposed to be the big rematch between the reigning Olympic champion and the woman she beat to the 400m title in Beijing, Sanya Richards. But in truth it was no contest at all. The American was a clear winner stamping her authority on the event in the fastest time in the world this year. Ohuruogu, by contrast, trailed home in a sluggish sixth and said afterwards she was "mortified." Some athletes refuse to talk after a bad race, but she certainly wasn't ducking the difficult questions. The only problem was she didn't really have any answers. Quite simply, she was at a loss to explain what went wrong, but was adamant she'd trained well and had fully recovered from a recent virus.

As gold medallist two years ago, Ohuruogu qualifies automatically for August's World Championships in Berlin, so will use the trials in Birmingham next weekend to sharpen her sprinting, running over 100m and 200m instead. That's the plan anyway, although I left her heading off for a post-mortem with coach Lloyd Cowan so that might yet change. One thing to remember though; Ohuruogu is the past master at getting it right when it counts. She may have only beaten Richards once in her career, but crucially it was in the Olympic final and you can bet that's the plan again this year. "I don't train to chase times," she said, "I train to chase medals."

Someone who believes he'll win a medal in Berlin is Asafa Powell, who confessed he's virtually running on one leg at the moment. He still managed to win the 100m, but was being caught with every stride by Antigua's Daniel Bailey. Powell's recovering from an ankle injury which he admits was preying on his mind at the start. He was virtually left behind when the gun went off and won't scare Usain Bolt or Tyson Gay with a time of 10.07.

The confidence is still there, but you can't help thinking the gentle Jamaican may have missed his chance to claim a major title. He told me he wants the world record back, but on current form surely it's a resurgent Tyson Gay who's the main challenger to you-know-who? All should become clear with Powell and Gay due to go head-to-head in Rome next Friday.

Watch out for a face in the crowd in Rome. The man they call the "Blade Runner," Oscar Pistorius is based just north of the capital in Grosseto, and is hoping to go and watch the third leg of the Golden League. The South African would love to run there again, but is struggling to regain his fitness after suffering multiple injuries when his speedboat crashed in February. He was a frustrated athlete in Oslo after failing to hit the qualifying mark over 400m for the IAAF World Championships in Berlin. There's still time, but he accepts he faces a losing battle.

"Something's going to have to flip 360 degrees for me to qualify," he said, sitting in the warm-down area with his head in his hands, and looking like he could do with a hug.

Oscar wore bright Orange in Oslo and he wasn't alone. All the athletes sponsored by Nike did the same, which lead to the rather ridiculous situation of five athletes in the men's 100m all lining up next to each other in the same colour. It didn't help that those with Adidas were all in one colour too.

How are fans in the stadium and those watching at home meant to tell who is who? It's just confusing at a time when the sport is trying to become more accessible. Do I not like Orange!

Fresh from winning the 100m at the European Team Championship in Portugal on Saturday, Dwain Chambers took self belief to a whole new level.

As BBC 5 Live's trackside reporter, I am so used to athletes generally being guarded, but Chambers' remarks were as unusual as they were unexpected.

With utter conviction he predicted he would take the gold medal at the world championships in Berlin this August.

"I guarantee I will cross the line before anyone else does," he said and just to make sure he had got his message across he added that he was not joking.

It seems it is part of "Project Bolt", and a genuine belief the fastest man in the world can be beaten. The mind games have begun in the build up to Berlin.

Whatever path Chambers' career has taken, you certainly cannot fault his confidence and his body language clearly spoke of a man on a mission to shake off his doping past and simply perform.

He got an unexpected opportunity to do that again on Sunday in Leiria and duly delivered.

Chambers answered an SOS call to run the 200m after Rikki Fifton was ruled out due to a hamstring injury. Chambers ran such a strong bend that the race was already won coming into the home straight as the Londoner secured the sprint double.

On Saturday Fifton had had a face like thunder as he walked through the interview area. There had been rumours that he was carrying an injury and so it proved.

Running the third bend in the 4x100m relay he looked in agony as he aggravated a hamstring problem, and in the blink of an eye, the chance for maximum points in the sprint relay had gone.

So should he have taken to the track? It was a clearly a risk and one that backfired.

Darren Campbell pulled no punches on BBC 5 Live with his fierce criticism of UK Athletics.

Jenny Meadows had gone for a seven mile run on Sunday morning only to be asked to run in the 4x400m relay, following Christine Ohuruogu's withdrawal.

This was the same Jenny Meadows who had been unable to run in the 800m on Saturday due to concerns about a hamstring. Campbell described it as a "shambles" and questioned why a replacement had not been added to the squad when Nicola Sanders first withdrew.

The situation was compounded after Ohuruogu was forced to miss the relay following a below-par performance in the 200m due to a slight virus.

Campbell was not the only man to tale a swipe at the governing body.

Stuart Stokes is a landscape gardener, but gave up five days of work to represent Britain in Portugal.

Invited out of retirement to help the team, the 32-year-old Stokes ran the steeplechase, but in the interview area afterwards he was critical at the lack of financial support given to some athletes, and while proud to represent his country, he could not disguise his frustration at those in charge of the sport.

Phillips Idowu was also an unhappy man in Portugal.

Idowu refused an interview with BBC 5 Live after being beaten yet again in the triple jump by his nemesis Nelson Evora.

The Portuguese athlete denied Idowu the Olympic title in Beijing and despite hiding behind bright red sunglasses, the British triple jumper could not mask his disappointment at finishing runner-up again.

But there were plenty of positives with Britain finishing in third place. That was higher than most pundits predicted.

Britain won seven individual events rounded off with an impressive win for the men in the 4x400m relay.

Young athletes such as Hannah England and David Greene made their mark, while Kate Dennison set a new national record in the pole vault.

And as for a highlight? When Tim Benjamin clutched his British vest after anchoring the relay squad to victory it summed up what it meant to him to be competing at all. He so nearly quit the sport through injury, yet it fell to him to bring the curtain down on the weekend and he did it in style.

Interviewing Charles Van Commenee for the first time on Friday, he struck me as being from the same mould as Fabio Capello or Jose Mourinho - stylish, suntanned, and seriously determined.

Oh, and just a little bit stressed as well. He was like the proverbial swan, serene on the surface but pedalling like mad underneath, as a succession of injuries threatened to derail Britain's bid to win the inaugural European Team Championships here in Portugal.

It sees the men and women united in one team taking on the best in Europe under a new format.

As we spoke, 800m runner Jenny Meadows was in the hotel lobby in tears, ruled out by a hamstring injury.

Wearing dark glasses to cover her red eyes and clutching tissues given to her by a drug tester who had just taken a blood sample, she chatted to Steve Cram and you could see her mood lift as he gave her assurances that her season is far from over.

Meadows is not the only one with what athletes refer to as a "niggle". World silver medallist Nicola Sanders had already pulled out, and since arriving in Portugal sprinters Ashlee Nelson and Montell Douglas, and high jumper Stephanie Pywell, have joined the walking wounded, while Rikki Fifton is also a doubt in the men's 200m.

Little wonder that Van Commenee was a little sharp when faced with yet another question about Dwain Chambers.

It may be very hot here but Hannah England (a headline writer's dream?) did not hesitate in accepting the challenge of doubling up, replacing Meadows in the 800m, as well as running the 1500m on Sunday.

She was like a child on Christmas Eve at the prospect and bounced out of the room like Tigger. She's been working with Kelly Holmes and clearly some of her fighting spirit has rubbed off.

Christine Ohuruogu is someone who has faced a few battles in her career, but the Olympic champion was relaxed and in good form as she chatted before Friday's news conference.

Except she might struggle to be heard right now. She is a quiet soul anyway, but has virtually lost her voice after feeling a bit run down.

She was a tad embarrassed, particularly as she is team captain. It looks like the tub-thumping speech is on hold right now. She was at pains to point out that she's not ill, although she says people assume she must be with such a gravelly voice.

The event gets under way on Saturday afternoon. and stand by for one of the most unusual looking sports stadiums you're ever likely to see. It is colourful to say the least and looks like a child of five has been let loose with a paint pot.

The Estadio Municipal de Leiria is the home of the local football club and the place where a certain Mr Mourinho started his career en route to Porto and becoming the 'Special One'.

Who knows, Charles Van Commenee might be described in the same way one day. When asked what to expect from the British team this weekend, he fixed me with a stare and said "to win, of course".

That might be asking too much at this stage of the team's development on the road to 2012, but you sense a shift in attitude. This determined Dutchman has set a target of eight medals at the London Olympics, and it seems this is where it all starts.

(This article first appeared here on Friday)