Three Olympic athletes had a message for University students assembled Tuesday evening at John Paul Jones arena: Don’t be afraid of failure.
Gymnast Jonathan Horton knows what defeat feels like. After a disappointing 13th place finish for team USA at the 2006 World Championships, Horton knuckled down and resumed training.
“I had to re-evaluate who I was,” Horton said.
And it paid off — team USA won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Cullen Jones, two-time Olympic medallist, spoke of the extra effort and the many hours of practice he spent in the pool so that he could snag two silver medals in this summer’s games.
“You don’t just make goals,” Jones said. “Until you map out how you’re going to do it, it’s just a dream.”
Failure, however, is not the only source of motivation for these Olympians. Fencer Mariel Zagunis said pressures to repeat and defend earlier accomplishments bolstered her preparation for Beijing as a defending gold medalist from the Athens Games.
“When those opportunities come you will be ready to seize the moment,” Zagunis said about winning a second gold in 2008.
Consulting firm Deloitte, a business sponsor of the United States Olympic Committee, helped organize Tuesday’s event.
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