An Irish sporting legend recently gave a motivational talk to the Irish Paralympic squad as they prepare to compete in Beijing this September.
The 2008 Paralympic Games will feature a 45-strong Irish squad, and Sonia O’Sullivan – one of Ireland’s greatest ever athletes – visited the team’s Limerick training base to offer some thoughts on her own experiences.
O’Sullivan opened with a montage of footage of her most memorable experiences on the track, including her first Olympics in Barcelona, her world championship win in 1995, her silver medal winning performance in Sydney and her experience at the Athens games. The footage was greeted by a spontaneous round of applause from the captivated team before O’Sullivan extended her best wishes to the athletes.
“Congratulations to each and every one of you on making the team. It is a fantastic achievement and an honour and I wish you the very best of luck in Beijing. I really hope you enjoy it, as the journey you take to get there is probably the most important thing,” she said. Openly and honestly, O’Sullivan shared her experience of four Olympics and a truly remarkable career with the Irish team. She took them through her first games in Barcelona in 1992, highlighting the role the more experienced members of this Irish team will have in Beijing.
The Cobh legend also shared the disappointment she experienced in Atlanta in 1996, and how she dealt with it: “The big thing I learned in 1996 was that preparation is everything. And I know you can feel when you have prepared so perfectly you think – why should I not be rewarded for it? If that happens you have to also look at, and remember the path you’ve taken to get there, not everyone can win.” As the flag-bearer at the Sydney games in 2000, where she famously claimed the silver medal in the women’s 5,000m race, O’Sullivan’s words on how big a moment that was for her were particularly special for Patrice Dockery, the Irish track athlete selected as the flag-bearer for Beijing. “Looking back, [agreeing to carry the flag] was the best thing I did. I was so proud, it was such a wonderful feeling, 20 Metro Éireann 21–27 August 2008 Metro Éireann SPORT Contact the Sports desk: sports@metroeireann.com it was one of those moments you’ll always remember, it was something so special,” O’Sullivan said.
A key theme in her talk was valuing the journey that takes an athlete to the games, rather than just focusing on the moment of competition. O’Sullivan showed how, on reflection, that journey is just as big a part as the performance. “In Sydney I know I gave everything I could in the last 100 metres and I was rewarded with silver for it, and of course the story to tell of it, and how I got there – that is just as important to me as the medal,” she stated.
Speaking of the Athens games, O’Sullivan revealed how despite the disappointment she was experiencing in the final, she never gave up – a valuable lesson this team can take away with them on their Beijing adventure. “You have to take what you get and deal with it; I wasn’t going to stop,” she stated.
O’Sullivan went on to try and put into words the magical and memorable experience she had that night in Athens, when spirited Irish fans cheered on the Corkwoman despite her falling well behind in the race. “There was some connection that happened between me and the Irish fans in the stadium, I think they just wanted to share this moment with me.
It was a symbolic end to my Olympic track career – it was so special and I will always treasure it.” O’Sullivan also spoke about dealing with performance nerves for both athletes and coaches, her greatest influences and how she is occupying her time now (which, unsurprisingly, includes a daily running regime).
She left the team by telling them now is the time to “step up from being ready to compete to being able to compete” and assuring them she would be closely following their progress in Beijing.
Liam Harbison, performance director at the Paralympic Council of Ireland, later spoke of the effect O’Sullivan’s visit had on the Paralympic squad. “Having Sonia share her experience in such a personal way with the team this week has been a real motivational tool for the athletes, and all involved,” he said. “We are delighted and honoured to have the support from one of Ireland’s greatest ever athletes.
She’s had a big impact, and there is a great buzz in the team at this stage; we are ready and eager to go and compete in Beijing.” The Irish team depart for Beijing on 24 August, ahead of the opening ceremony in the Bird’s Nest on 6 September.
