Interview With Kieren Perkins

I asked Kieren Perkins a few questions about motivation and endurance, qualities I inspire for my own life.

How important was it to have the cheers and support of your family, friend and country behind you?

Having support and those cheers behind you is extremely important when you are competing. You spend so many years training for an event and then when you’re there, you are by yourself and away from home, it can be a daunting experience. Knowing that your family, friends and your home country are watching and supporting you, even if they are back home, is really comforting. I’m so excited to be part of the Vicks “Unleash Your Voice” initiative this year where I am helping to collect cheers from people across the country, to let our Olympic Games Team know that Australia is behind them. If people want to get involved and see the cheers that have been uploaded, they can visit www.vicks.com.au.

Mentally, what gave you the motivation when the odds were against you?

When the odds were against me, I motivated myself by having faith in the preparation I had put in and knowing that the work had been done. Then on the day, it was the supporters that helped me to my best.

What helped you focus during endurances races and how important is goal setting?

Knowing the race plan and sticking with it is how I got through endurance races. Goal setting is so important, as it keeps you motivated and focused through the tough times.

How is racing like the journey of life?

You have hopes and dreams that you strive for and you set goals on how you will achieve them and then along the way you face hurdles and set-backs. But if you stay focus and motivated you will reach the finishing line.

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