Are Olympic champions born or made?

Mo Farah writes…

I always loved football at school and playing for Arsenal was my dream. But my PE teacher saw something in me when I was running down the wing. He pulled me aside and said to focus on athletics – it all started there.

I began racing seriously at 13 but it was after winning the European Junior 5,000m title in 2001 I started to really believe this could be my full time job. I dedicated myself to it 24/7 but I couldn’t have imagined I would become a double Olympic champion, especially not in my own back yard.

London 2012 and the Rio games have both been a dream come true for me. But what does it take to win an Olympic gold medal?

It is seriously tough to become an Olympic champion. The most important thing is commitment; it’s all about getting on top of that podium. I don’t dream of winning – I train for it. In the run up to Rio I was running about 120 miles a week. I become a bit of a robot – eat, sleep, train, repeat! Sometimes you have to make big sacrifices, like running until your body is crying out for you to stop, or missing your child's birthday because you are at a training camp.

When preparing for a long race, like the 5k or 10k, I practice running that distance the weekend before. Then in the week leading up to it I ease down. Just before the race I like a seriously strong espresso too – then I’m ready to go. The mental side is really important too. I always like to plan my race tactics in my head – visualizing how I’m going to beat my competitors.

Preparation is vital. Combine those hard yards in training with mental toughness and you give yourself the best chance of winning. If you’re anxious and worrying about your rivals then you can throw it all away. You can have all the natural talent in the world, but there is no substitute for hard work.

The make-up of a medallist… Leading Olympic sports psychologist Bill Cole reveals the mindset of an Olympic champion.

Clarity

Surprisingly, many top Olympians get quite agitated and anxious prior to their event. But they may not show any nerves. It is a myth that Olympic champions walk around in a Zen state all the time. This is a good goal, but not always attainable. Champions are able to ultimately wipe their nerves away, focus on the task, and get the job done when it counts. Pre-event nerves are just part of the job description. Having zero nerves may mean a flat and uninspired performance could ensue. It's best to be 'ideally activated' where you are excited and anticipatory about the event, not blasé. Just as the professional entertainer says backstage, "OK, it's showtime!" and they perform well, no matter how they feel, so it is with top athletes. They know how to kick their performance into overdrive when it counts. They have well-defined rituals that give them comfort and confidence.

Hate losing

Champions have a strong will to win and possess a highly competitive nature. They simply hate to lose. They have the courage to risk failure on an international stage. They are committed to continuously developing their potential, and have an extreme degree of perseverance and determination to succeed.

Sacrifice

Champions reach the heights and succeed because they have inner qualities others do not possess. Their behavior is also different. They are willing to do things lesser-achieving athletes may not be willing to do. They sacrifice more, work harder, control their mind and emotions better, and have a deeper desire for success than those who only come close to winning.

Pressure

Expectations from the crowd at an Olympics are very high. But top athletes have experienced the pressure-cookers of years of big competitions, and are usually winning in these previous events, which builds self-belief. They can easily call up a laser-like, deep and unwavering degree of concentration in the biggest moments. Other equally talented athletes may have the physical goods, but slightly doubt themselves. I ask competitors if an athlete can want to win too much. Of course the answer is yes, this leads to self-sabotaging behavior blocks such as trying too hard, an inability to relax and pace themselves throughout an event, and a mental focus on the wrong things. Champions focus only on what they can directly control. Less accomplished athletes focus on the outcome aspects of their event: "What will people think if I lose? It would be awful to let down my coach.”

Confidence

Olympic champions have a big vision and set huge goals for themselves. They have a high degree of self-confidence and believe they truly belong in the Olympics. They believe they deserve to be a winner, and their high self-image reflects this deep conviction.

Born or made?

Olympic champions are first born, and then made, in my view. There are some native, mandatory requirements that can't be manufactured out of thin air, no matter how much effort and time is put in. First, there needs to be exceptional raw athleticism that can be molded into a fine-tuned sports machine. Then the athlete needs incredible, never-ending dedication and the desire to train to their limits and beyond. I believe unless an athlete has the burning desire to succeed and the ability to push past any mental or other obstacles in their path, they will never make it to the top. So I would say an Olympic champion is the best of both nature and nurture.

GROUP WORK

1) Listen to the teacher read and comment the texts (take notes).

2) In your A-Z, write down (and translate) the words highlighted in grey (learn them!).

3) Write a short biography of Mo Farah (to read out to the class).

4) Answer the following questions:

• Who is the sportsperson you admire the most (and why)?
• Do you have (some of) the qualities of a top athlete?
• What is the sport you practice most (describe it)?
• How successful are you in the sport you practice?
• Would you like to earn your living as a sportsperson?
• Do you think sport is an important part of your nation’s culture?
• Do you think enough is done to promote sport?