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ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED AT THE OLYMPICS (p. 3 of 3)
1 | 2 | 3 | AUG '04
Lesson #6
WIN ON YOUR OWN TERMS
"Expectations change. People want to see constant improvement. Now I put more pressure on myself to stay at a high level. It’s more challenging compared to the time when you didn’t know much about winning and you got up there and just went for it."
Mike Mintenko had worked his whole life for the 100-metre butterfly event in Sydney. He swam to a fifth-place finish in what he thought would be his only Olympics. He says he’ll retire after Athens.
Mike Mintenko
Swimming, 2000, 2004.
Lesson #7
SUCK IT UP
"Resilience counts. I have a plate in my neck, so my neck is not as flexible as it was before. I’ve had rib and back injuries that have stalled my progress over the last three years. But when the whistle blows in Athens, I’ll be ready."
When Nigerian-born wrestler Daniel Igali won Canada’s first gold medal for wrestling in Sydney, he danced around the Canadian flag, then crouched down and kissed it.
Daniel Igali
Wrestling, 2000, 2004. [ ]
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1 | 2 | 3 | AUG '04
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