Exiting amongst the spectators at Morton Stadium last Sunday, several individuals approached my daughter Sophie to convey their good wishes ahead of her participation in the Paris Olympics. Sophie had just earned her initial national senior accolade. The experience was extraordinary in many aspects, as Sophie triumphed in the 1,500m event, where I had the honour of giving her the medal, the same competition I was victorious in five times, the latest being in 2000, just prior to the Sydney Olympics, and two years before Sophie came into the world.
Comments about how special and unique this achievement is, how highly anticipatory they were to observe her compete in Paris, filled the air. Part of me struggled to comprehend the enormity of this accomplishment. I later found out how exceptional this is – we became the inaugural mother-daughter duo to represent Ireland in Olympics athletics.
There have been just two such instances in the annals of Olympic history, with British Liz McColgan and her child Eilish being most recent and before them, Germany had Marie Dollinger and her daughter Brunhilde.
It’s fair to state that Sophie’s sporting aspirations were never viewed as unachievable by her father Nic and I, given our personal involvement with athletics. We didn’t dwell on it excessively, however. And now as it’s on the brink of becoming a reality, it doesn’t seem shockingly unexpected. It has been more of a logical progression, foreseeable in some manner. The only thing that took us by surprise was how speedily she secured qualification last summer, accomplishing a 4:02.15 at World Championships in Budapest, which was under the qualifying time of 4:02.50, something we didn’t foresee.
Reflecting on Sophie’s athletic journey, we’ve always been typical parents since she took up cross country at age nine. We supported her by attending her training sessions and races, but we never actively coached her. Now, our parental roles have slightly shifted. We are more involved in her training and races, especially as they align with her father’s work at the Melbourne track club in Spain, and my location over the summer months. Together, we ensure her current training and racing activities are appropriately balanced so she does not over-exert herself or engage in training that could be detrimental.
In my role, I lean more towards that of a parent rather than a coach, hence, I encourage the contribution of others to avoid over-dominating. It is essential for me to support independent figures who may occupy similar roles.
Sophie has been under the guidance of Maurica Powell at University of Washington in Seattle for the past four years. At present, she still shares a bond with her. Concurrently, Sophie adheres to her adaptability trait that I used to posses back in my time – training with variant groups and adjusting to diverse settings, specifically during times of distancing from college coach.
My endeavour is to ensure that Sophie comprehends the essence of her training regime and reasons behind it, which is crucial for any sportsperson.
Sophie experienced her first genuine injury last winter, after her previous season. It initiated as a knee problem, escalating to a stress-induced bone injury in the tibia. Given my extensive knowledge on injury management and recovery methods, I was able to guide her. During this period, she had the opportunity for enhanced exposure to my presence due to the necessity for individual training on the bike or in the swimming pool. The importance of being receptive to advice and guidance is amplified for injured athletes, in order to maintain focus and a structured routine.
Sophie powered through her childhood in Melbourne, acquiring her early education from Wesley College. She displayed a knack for cross-country and was even given a leeway due to her inherent giftedness. Even with her engagement in basketball and soccer, she trained sufficiently, albeit not extensively.
This distinct feature worked wonders for her, as she constantly has areas to work on for enhancement. I perceive it from the similar viewpoint. Being at an infantile phase as a senior athlete, she still bears a long road to becoming a professional athlete.
There are instances where she feels disheartened when her races do not progress as per her envisioned plan, but she has a knack for swiftly moving on. This is something perhaps which I may have struggled with, and I believe that modern athletes tend to bounce back from setbacks with greater ease.
Occasionally, I still run after her like she’s a pre-teen, proactively tending to her needs whether it’s checking if she has her spikes or her passport. As a mother and a coach, there’s a deep emotional bond and a mental checklist implemented since she was a youngster. Sometimes, she appreciates it, other times, not so much.
When she’s in a race, like last weekend, I’m unconsciously more anxious, my focus on the race intensifies, paying attention to minute details. Truth be told, I’m only really tracking one racer.
Her university coach and I, knowing I was going to be in Santry on Sunday, had discussed the possibility of her pushing from the 300m mark to test her speed. Then, doubt crept in about how premature this might be, since Sophie normally performs better as a follower rather than a pacesetter.
Yet, once a strategy is fixed, the objective then is to put oneself in a position to execute the plan, which she did to claim victory in the race. Victories like these offer me some tranquillity, I find it significantly relieving.
The enormity of the Olympics as a sporting spectacle can seem rather otherworldly to Sophie. I don’t think she has fully grasped the magnitude of it yet.
As a former Olympian myself, I comprehend the difficulties in balancing family visits and competition stresses; it can sometimes be more daunting for the parent whilst the competitor remains focused in their routine. However, with Nic residing in the village with the Australian team, he’ll be available for Sophie if she requires anything.
Paris represents a colossal leap, but this level of competition is what we strive for, and the best way to face it is to embrace the experience and relish it. These are typically the final words of advice I offer Sophie before every race.