Dear Emily and James,
It seems like you’ve been having a rough time at the swimming over in London at the Olympics. If you act confidently before a race, you’re seen to be arrogant and if you’re filled with regret after one of your performances you’re either a cry baby, bad sport, ‘mis-firing’ or disappointing the nation.
Let me be clear – sometimes dealing with the media as an athlete is harder than participating in your actual race! As a crusty forty two year old who is old enough to be your mother, I have to admit to thinking about you both as children, even though you’ve had to grow up so fast in the public gaze. I want to applaud the effort you’ve put into your preparation (as well as applaud my fellow swimming mothers for getting up at 4.30am to take you to training) and the fact that you have made it to the pinnacle of sport, The Olympic Games!
I want to tell you a little about my life experience – how I’ve always tried to make ‘plans’, yet God has laughed at me. Yet I’ve tasted success at the most unexpected moments. Typically, these have happened when I’m ‘running my own race’ and turning my blinkers on, so that I’m not looking sideways at what my colleagues are doing. Thus, for these Olympic Games, don’t make any more plans – just go and run your own race! As a Mum, I know what effort you’ve put in and as an Australian, I saw how you have deservedly earned your stripes in our qualifying championships – and thus you have done ‘enough’ in my eyes. Competition is always markedly different from the practice run. What I learned from my stint in bodybuilding is that when you least expect it, someone turns up on the day who is better than you – and when they don’t, it’s a bonus. At one of my comps I presented my best condition ever and came last – but I rest easy at night knowing that I did everything within my power to prepare and to win but it wasn’t to be.
Therefore, I hope that for your next races you have fun feeling the need for speed. Win, place, or participate – I’m with you all the way..and I’m proud of you!
Yours faithfully,
A Sports Mad Mum
PS – Do you think our athletes have been putting too much pressure on themselves to win?
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t know what is going on but the whole team seems a little flat??? We just need a great performance to bring everyone up but not sure if we will get it in time. X
Hope so too!
Sort of half similar thinggy… when I was at uni I got my best marks for my worst subject and vice versa.. in Finals the lowest mark was for my very fave (Scottish Literature before 1600, what’s not to love)… it was a shock. But that’s life, some days things just don’t work as planned and very harsh when it’s such a rare event as an Olympic finals but… it’s life. Chins up.
I actually think our very fickle media have a lot to answer for., the “What went wrong”. These guys also have pressure with regards to sponsorhip obligations etc. So no wonder they feel the pressure or put it upon themselves. I also wonder where the spirit of competition has gone, yes a lot is at stake, but we have to keep reminding people what an amazing achievement competing in the Olympics is.
Hi Erika,
Yes, it is an amazing achievement and an amazing privilege.
xx
Hi Liz! Very nice message in this post. This year, I’ve watched Olympics from a different viewpoint. I noticed more heartbreaks. Olympics are brutal. We should not forget that all of the athletes had to already be great to be qualified. But little factors of who a swimmer swims by, or the order of events, getting used to a different climate and time zone, and of course, all of the expectations heaped upon mere kids, could be the difference between winning or not. We have a movie called “Any Given Sunday,” which explains that on any given Sunday a football team can win or lose.
Still, I have to say that despite all of this, I love the Olympics and the stories of the athletes. And, yes, I’m super happy when Aussies do great!
and likewise the Americans (except when they trounce the Aussies lol)
Love this and absolutely I think the media (along with the athletes themselves) put far too much pressure on them(selves). Just qualifying to participate is a HUGE accomplishment. And what happened to the crux of the Olympics which used to be about participation ??????
Have a great day !
Me
Thanks me
I think way too much pressure is put on them by both the media and the athletes themselves. It is such a shame as it seems to have taken the shine off a truly amazing experience. I mean, they have competing in the Olympics!!! How many people can say they have done that!
Not too many – they didn’t pick me~
Good grammar, Michelle. It should be *they are competing in the Olympics*
I think a lot of the pressure is from the media and I hate that they have to give an interview even before they’ve caught their breath. How do you squash the bitter disappointment you’re feeling within 5 mins? It’s not terribly fair particularly for adults who are only just out of childhood (and some not even) to have to cope with.
Agreed~
It so often happens that those we expect to do well, don’t and those we don’t expect much from, excel.
I cannot believe we let people think that 4th or 5th best in the world (let alone 2nd) isn’t AMAZING! God, even getting there is!
Deb
I totally agree!
I have been horrified by the media coverage of the swimming over the last few days. To put such expectations on athletes (I appreciate we want to read about them, but labelling people as our ‘gold medal chances’ seems a bit much!) and then talk about little else than their ‘failures’ (which aren’t failures at all) isn’t how I think Olympic coverage should go. Watching Emily Seebohm has been tough and I echo her mother’s words around hoping she is getting support in the village.
Me too – think that it’s hindered, rather than helped.