Congrats on winning some titles in a niche sport competed in by rich white guys from North America and Europe. Call us when you have to compete against every nation in the world who has athletes who can put one foot in front of the other.
Congrats on winning some titles in a niche sport competed in by rich white guys from North America and Europe. Call us when you have to compete against every nation in the world who has athletes who can put one foot in front of the other.
you are an idiot
never, never say anything bad about Steve Redgrave. He is a bloody legend
Correct, he's a legend...IN ROWING. It's still a niche event with a talent pool about as deep as the one my 2-year old splashes around in my backyard.
Ok it may be a minority sport, but that doesn't diminish Steve's achievements. I wonder how many sprinters have this dedication:
'Normally, the first session was on the water. We'd be on the river at 8.20, and be finished by 9.45. After a short break, the second session started at 11am, either back out on the water or doing weights, or on the ergo. Then 4 or 5 times a week, after lunch, we'd do a third session, starting at 3pm.
In all, spread over 7 days, there were 18 sessions a week, mostly between one hour and two, 90% on water, and all endurance-based, normally over 16km (10 miles). Gym work would include circuit training - body curls, sit-ups, lateral pulls, leg extensions and weights - all without a break. We'd have a day off every month. We trained 49 weeks a year.
Training was never really enjoyable. It had to be done. Indeed, perhaps there was an element of masochism about it. That it was no good unless it hurt. On the water, freezing fog was the worst. Early in the year, right up to April, there was often a wind against the flood stream, which created waves like something you'd normally find off the coast. But what kept us going was the thought that somewhere another crew might be training that bit harder than us.'
from Golden Age - Steve Redgrave p258)
Rowing has some pretty high end competition. A top rower is no joke. That's a hard sport.
Well rowing is absolutely NOTHING compared distance running in terms of global competition. When I see a boat full of Zulu's crossing the finishing line first in the olympic games then I will reappraise my opinion but for now it is a niche sport which is highly restricted to those who have the money and facilities for an expensive boat and a boathouse.
Furthemore I thought Redgrave's comments about drugs were hypocritical considering he was using insulin, a bodybuilding drug in his last olympic appearance. For those who say it was for diabetes remember that his wife is a doctor so it is very easy for him to get a convenient diagnosis to use the drug.