Elite athletes across the globe put in the work for 4 years for a chance to compete in front of a worldwide audience. For athletes in individual sports such as track and swimming that rely heavily on the Olympic cycle, will now have to wait another year to compete in the Olympics due to the Covid-19 Pandemics. So what does that mean for athletes that have been putting in the work to showcase their elite athleticism to the world? For some it may be a risk and others it may be just what they wanted.
I recently had the opportunity to chat with American Triple jump star Donald Scott, a World Championship Finalist and U.S. National Champion, about his recent training adjustments due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Donald gave me a little more insight on the postponement of competitions and meets for the rest of the 2020 season, and how it may impact his professional career moving forward.
Scott attended Eastern Michigan University (EMU), where he set many school records in track and field. He resides in his college town and trains with his former college coach in preparation for the 2021 Tokyo Track and Field Olympic Games Trials in Eugene, Oregon in June of 2021. According to the United States Track & Field federation, all the track meets that were scheduled for the rest of 2020 were either cancelled or postponed to 2021. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), also decided on March, 23rd that the 2020 Olympic Games would be postponed by one year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
As a professional swimmer, my case has been a little more complicated than for other sports as many gyms and pools have been closed. With these ongoing restrictions and limitations it makes it quite impossible to practice at the same level as before. Despite the setbacks, I have been staying positive and trusting the process. With the limited access to pools I am putting in the work to maintain my performance by training out of the water.
For many professional athletes, this unexpected break seemed like a time of hopelessness with no practices being held nor important meets coming up. Donald’s tremendous positivity in the process moving forward is very admirable. Between having most training facilities either closed or following different safety guidelines, and having to adapt to some sort of ‘different training regimen,’ Donald affirmed he has been preparing just as if he was to compete in the Olympics next month. Unlike in swimming, track does not require a pool, which fortunately makes the training process more adequate to his modality. His purpose and vision for what he dreams of accomplishing have been keeping him on track in training day in and day out.
Talking to Donald has helped me to better understand the power of positivity through his personal experience. “I have been training at the same level, as if I had a meet coming up. Even though it was hard to handle the postponement at first, I am thankful I took a positive approach to handling the situation moving forward,” says Donald.
Scott reinforces that the focus and vision that is provided through having a clear purpose, even if it’s a year from now, allows for motivation and direction in whatever it is he is trying to accomplish. Setting goals through your tunnel vision allows you to have a tangible target to attain, and it helps you to get there even though you might have to pivot the path through the journey, as many pro athletes have been doing this year.
As he continues to train following all the safety protocols, using a local high school’s facility, I asked him how he handled the break at first, and how he has been able to keep up with the slow progress and return to the tracks. “I was training at a very high level, with great chances of making the Olympic team as well as to even medal at the Games. At first I didn’t show many emotions and just wanted to see how everything would play out. After that, I tried to focus on what I can control and I looked at it from a positive perspective, recognizing that I will have an extra year of training to get even better,” says Donald.
On his journey to the Tokyo Olympics, Donald seeks to prepare and be ready to compete at the highest level making sure his body is always properly fueled with great natural products. “The legacy I want to leave behind is one that is inspiring. I want to engrave positivity and that furious drive into everyone that I come across so that they have the same keys that I use to unlock their own full potential. I have found my key to proper hydration in Hydra-Guard Sports Drink because it’s strategically formulated to help me achieve optimal performance during workouts/competitions. I’m very thankful to be a part of the Hydra-Guard family.”
If you support proper hydration during your workouts like Donald and myself, or like to practice sports and physical activities on a daily basis, Hydra-Guard Sports Drink is a great way of replenishing your essential electrolytes after a workout but keeping the calorie count low and consuming only 5g of natural sugars per bottle. Use DS10 for a special discount on your next purchase.