Believing in yourself can help you conquer many obstacles in life, and confidence has been key for many Team GB athletes’ successes. Once you reach the Olympics, everyone around you is in top shape – so having faith in yourself and your abilities can give you an edge over your competitors and help you reach the podium. But, self-belief isn’t always easy to come by.
With the Paris Games less than a fortnight away, we asked some of Team GB’s most talented athletes how they stay confident when the spotlight is on them...
Laura Muir Veteran Olympian Laura Muir returned from the Tokyo Games with a silver medal in the 1,500m, and knows she performs her best when she dreams big and doesn’t focus on others. Paris will be the Scot’s third Olympics, so she has been giving advice to some of the newcomers on the team. “In my team speech at last year’s World Championships, I said, ‘Don’t put any limitations on yourself.
Don’t say, because I have only run this time, I won’t make it, because you can,” recalls the 31-year-old. “And don’t expect things from others, because they could have a world record and might go out in the first heat.” For the long distance runner, it’s all about leaving any self-doubt in the changing rooms so she can give it her all on the track.
And Muir views bad races and knock-backs as opportunities to grow even stronger. “Make sure you learn from your experiences,” she says. “Ask yourself what went wrong and how you can make i.