Toad Eggs and Olympic Gold

I used to be in Zimbabwe doing a swimming clinic in 1996 for WORLD AQUATICS – FINA because it was.

The hosts took me to a neighborhood swimming program.

Run down pool, no lane ropes, no backstroke flags, no beginning blocks. Cold water.

The sides of the pool had inexperienced scum on them.

One of the youngsters informed me they have been toad eggs and so they needed to be cautious to not swallow them.

Coach – an excellent man – was a butcher – very restricted excessive stage swimming teaching information however a really first rate, exhausting working, devoted coach.
Overall fairly horrible surroundings.
In one lane nonetheless was an 11 12 months previous skinny little blonde child. She simply plowed up and down the pool relentlessly.

She swam like she was offended on the water: she simply labored and labored and labored. In between repeats she smiled, laughed, joked along with her associates – then growth – again into it – lap after lap after lap to a regular that might have seen her slot in properly to any age group program in Australia, USA, UK – anyplace.

At the tip of the session the coach launched her to me and me to her. “Coach Wayne. I’d like you to meet Kirsty Coventry”.

That’s Kirsty “First Woman IOC President, 7 medals (2 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze) across five Olympics (2000-2016)” Coventry.

Environment doesn’t make champions. Character does.

Toad eggs, inexperienced scum, no lane ropes. Seven Olympic medals.

Tell me once more that being nice at sport is all about services.

Wayne Goldsmith