I will never be able to comprehend the sheer strength of mind it takes to compete at this level. None of us ‘mere mortals’ ever will (that sort of understanding is reserved purely for Olympians), but watching Adam’s interview last night after winning his silver medal gave us a damn good insight into it.
I do think I have a bit of a better understanding than many will, though… I had the privilege of becoming really close friends with Adam just after the Tokyo Olympics (when we were together on Strictly). Just being around someone with that Olympic mindset, that resilience, that strength of character was awe-inspiring, and I took so much from my time with him.
We’ve stayed close friends, and I’ve seen firsthand the sacrifices he makes every day for his sport—not only the gruelling schedule but also the way it takes up every ounce of your being. I watched all of the post-race interviews last night and listened with intent as they talked about what an inspiration he was—to the rest of the team, to aspiring young athletes everywhere, and actually to all of us. I’ve found his friendship to be a massive source of inspiration to me even though I’m not athletic in the slightest!
It also wasn’t lost on me that despite last night’s race being incredibly close, no one came close to either his Olympic record or world record time—not remotely close—and I don’t think they ever will.
Swipe along for a bit of the interview from last night—it’s well worth a watch back in full if you search it on YouTube. And his book is pretty inspirational too.
Ok, I’m gonna stop fan-girling now—so, so proud of my amazing friend and all he has achieved and continues to achieve—and there’s so much more to come from this amazing man, I just know it!