Louis Smith's diary
The only other thing that compares to the thrill and adrenaline of performing routines on the pommel horse is singing. I sang live on Sport Relief in front of millions last year, but that was nothing compared to singing in front of Simon Cowell. A couple of years ago I auditioned for The X Factor with Shai's 'If I Ever Fall in Love'. It's crazy how nerves can affect your voice; I sounded like an idiot. I told the judges I'd prefer to be performing a pommel-horse routine rather than having to sing. Simon Cowell wished me luck but said I wasn't strong enough. Luckily it wasn't televised.
My agent thinks I should pursue a career in singing when I retire from gymnastics but I'm not convinced. After the 2012 Games I'm going to catch up on some of the things I've missed out on, such as travel. My dream destinations are Miami, Dubai and Las Vegas. I've also thought about starting up a business; an adult version
of Center Parcs or a topless catering company. I think there's a gap in the market for both. I wouldn't be getting my top off, though; I'd be running the show. I don't mind getting my kit off. Photographers have captured me in lots of different situations. If I'm the poster boy of British gymnastics, it adds another pressure but it's also a privilege.
It's 1pm and I should be training at my gym in Peterborough where I've been going every day since I was six but I've got a bad case of jet-lag. I was wide awake until 6am this morning catching up on MythBusters. I can't complain; I'm just back from Cancun where the GB male gymnastics squad spent ten days training. It was a great getaway after all the pressure of making it through the team qualifying event in London last month. Our GB tracksuits attracted lots of attention from all the tourists. I don't think they knew where to look when we were hanging out by the pool en masse.
A couple of nights after qualifying for the 2012 Games we celebrated with a few drinks at Movida in the West End. I've had to be quite strict with myself because there's not long to go, but every now and again I'll have a drink just to feel human. Phillips Idowu is a good mate and I meet up with him whenever I can.
Like Phillips, I like to change my hairstyle whenever I get bored. I shaved my hair when I went to Mexico, but before that I had a fade on one side and a step on the other. I've been going to the same barber in Peterborough for years, he's called Ross and he's wicked. I usually go with an idea, he knows what will look good and we come to an agreement. Gymnastics is such a conformist sport, it's important for me to stand out from other gymnasts. There's no point doing something crazy with your look and then underperforming.
Sadly I don't receive much female fan mail. Most of my post is letters from kids asking me to go and talk at their school. Who knows, though, maybe that will change after the Olympics. I was in a relationship for about two years but now I'm single and happy. I try to be as romantic as possible when I am in a relationship. I don't like to be a brute. My girlfriends don't have to be particularly sporty or athletic, I like a girl who I can spend time with and disconnect from the gym.
Louis Smith is represented by gseagency.com; follow him on Twitter (@louissmith1989)
