You don't become a champion when you win.
You become one through the standards you live by long before anyone recognizes you. How you practice. How you prepare. How you respond when things get hard. The championship is the result. The standard comes first.
Last Sunday, I ran at the Nationals in Dublin: strong head wind (-4.5 m/s) so my time was poor, but hey, the main thing is that at the age of 56, I am out there and improving year in year out.
Last night, a top Greek athlete claimed his 4th consecutive gold medal at the Europeans at long jump . Miltos jumped 8.44m (head wind -1.1m/s) to claim victory and entering into a top elite of champions (all his medals are shown here).
Giving an interview after his win, he realised that he had forgotten his medal at the track...
Miltos is an amazing example of an athlete showing with hard work and more work, it's not impossible to reach the top and stay at the top for so many years!
In this life, God has gifted us (yes! all of us!) with some talent in something and it's down to us to find our talent and pursue our dreams. Having recognised our talent, the rest is simple: work, perseverance, discipline and courage. Miltos started athletics training at the age of 15!
We can all learn from athletes like Miltos.
We can all try harder to reach our top. And then, staying at the top as long as we can.
The best professionals or athletes are not the ones that achieve something great only once and then disappear; but the ones who have a constant performance at the top, for many years.
In my line of duty, if someone has published a paper in Nature and then disappeared, it doesn't show a great scientist. A great scientist is the one who publishes top papers for many years, year in - year out! Just like Miltos!
P.S. The medal ceremony
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| with Thomas Barr, a Honour! |
