Craig Pickering is a former sprinter and bobsledder who competed in multiple world championship events including the 2008 Olympics. He ran on England's Olympic team in the 4x100m and set a personal best in the 100m sprint at 10.14. Pickering now spends his time in the world of sports science and performance psychology, he has overcome many obstacles in athletic career and shared his thoughts in this week's Y1 on 1:
How have sports helped you most in life that you can share with our youth athlete readers and their families?
When you were younger, did you specifically focus on track and field or did you play other sports such as Soccer, Basketball, etc.
Who helped guide you on your path to become an Olympic athlete, are there one or two mentors that stick out?
You have seen great results in your athletic career on multiple occasions. What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Injuries have played a significant role in your career. What advice can you give to youth athletes on how to persevere and overcome those obstacles?
Were there any pivotal memories from your time as a youth athlete, or even in high school, that shaped your journey to becoming an Olympic athlete?
Winning a World u-18 Championships medal in 2003 was a big milestone for me. It showed me that I had the potential to be a really good athlete if I took it seriously enough, and was the first time where I thought I might have the ability to go all the way.
What specific advice do you have for youth athletes? Maybe you can share a bit about “reinventing” your self multiple times and your career now that you are retired from athletics.
With the Olympics coming up, even after the two back surgeries, does the thought of coming out of retirement ever pop up in your mind?
Is there anything on your journey that you would have changed or done differently?
Outside of sports, what are some of your other interests?
I’m very interested in sports science (which is now the area I work in), so I like to keep up to date with on-going research in that field. I also like to read books, using science or crime-based ones, and I like to travel and see new places. I live in Australia at the moment, so I get to explore plenty of places around here.
Follow Craig on Twitter @craig100m
Also check out his website craigpickering.com
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