"The athletes seem, for the first time in a long time, firstly to be much more focussed, and secondly seem to be genuinely relishing a championship," he said in an interview published in Athletics Weekly today.

 

"I've watched for far too long athletes walking out into a major championships looking as though it's about the last place they want to be rather than thinking that this is what the year of racing and training and leads up to."

 

Coe, the 1980 and 1984 Olympic 1500 metres champion and multi world record holder, added: "It's very early days and I've been in track and field far too long to make sweeping statements, but I thought the British team that competed in Birmingham (at the European Indoor Championships) had a different air and and body language abou them, which is good.

 

"It may be the first generation that has no remnants of the older team being there and it is good that this younger now have to make their own way without any faded history around them,

 

"It's a healthier atmosphere all round."