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Olympic medallists Christine Ohuruogu and Amber Anning examine their experiences as athletes and focus on what it means to reclaim narratives
Olympic medallists Christine Ohuruogu and Amber Anning examine their experiences as athletes and focus on what it means to reclaim narratives
To rejoice Black Historical past Month, Sky Sports activities Information introduced collectively 2008 Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu and rising star Amber Anning to debate the theme of Reclaiming Narratives and mirror on their journeys.
Brighton-born sprinter Anning made an enormous impression on the Paris Olympics, leaving with two bronze medals, which she received as a part of the 4x400m relay groups within the ladies’s and combined occasions. Her fifth-placed end within the 400m ultimate in a time of 49.29 seconds noticed her eclipse Ohuruogu’s British report, which had stood for 11 years.
“Unbelievable!” was how Anning described her achievements to her hero and mentor Ohuruogu on the London Stadium, the location of the 2012 Olympics.
“I’ve had time to reflect now on what I accomplished, I’m kind of immensely proud of myself,” she added.
“I went there with open arms, open expectations for myself just trying to enjoy it and not put too much pressure on the moment. I know it is the Olympics, but I didn’t want to make it bigger than it is. But to come away with three national records and two medals. Wow!”
Ohuruogu is aware of what it’s prefer to be the toast of British athletics. Now 40, she took Olympic gold on the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and adopted that up with silver at her residence Olympics in London 4 years later.
Ohuruogu received Olympic gold on the Beijing Olympics
Trying again on her sporting profession, Ohuruogu remembers a decisive second in her journey to Olympic glory.
She stated: “A pivotal moment for me, which may surprise most people, was a bronze medal win at the junior championships in Finland. That made me because I had only just made it into the final as the second-fastest loser.
“They put me in lane one. I used to be completely terrified, however I keep in mind simply considering ‘okay I’ve received lane one, I am the slowest within the area however I’ve received simply nearly as good an opportunity as everybody else’. That basically spurred me on.
“Even though I was the slowest I came back with a bronze medal. That race kicked in my understanding of how powerful we are as long as we choose to believe that we can do something in the space that we’ve got.”
“How does it feel as a Black woman competing in the sport?” she asks Anning. “Do you feel that anything has changed, improved, or got worse?”
“Having athletes like you, I think is really empowering, really inspiring,” Anning replied. “But it also comes with its challenges. In every aspect of the sport, like the coaching, we can do a better job but it’s nice that we are pushing back the barriers and seeing Black women at the top but it’s not easy. Just getting us into these spaces I feel is really important, having our voices heard and having our needs met, it’s important that people understand it on all levels.”
Ohuruogu and Anning each have Olympic medals and shared their tales with Sky Sports activities Information
“I think my narrative is different depending on who I talk too,” Ohuruogu responds.
Ohuruogu retired in 2018 as a four-time Olympian with an Olympic gold, silver and two bronze medals; She was world champion twice and secured a medal at each World Championships she participated in. With Commonwealth gold and bronze medals, and a bunch of indoor medals she is likely one of the most adorned feminine athletes in Britain.
She added: “I think it is important that we understand that our narrative is sometimes what we think of ourselves and also what other people think of us and sometimes they are not the same thing. We all have to be cognisant of those messages and images that we put out there of ourselves because it might not be what we think it is or what we think it should be.
“And I did endure from that quite a bit I believe in my profession. I at all times had a damaging notion of myself as a result of I assumed that is what different folks considered me. I believe that did a number of injury, so I believe it truly is vital the way you see your self but in addition have a practical view of what different folks consider you, so you do not promote your self brief.”
Ohuruogu was awarded an MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours for her services to sport. She grew up in Stratford close to the site of the London Olympics and her early experiences of sport came with her family in local parks.
For Anning, like many British athletes before her, being part of the American ‘NCAA’ college system has helped her to improve on the track and given her new experiences.
“You prepare within the States, how do you discover that compares to being within the UK when it comes to having ethnic coaches within the sport?” Ohuruogu asks the south coast native.
Anning said: “I do discover in America there’s extra freedom to be your self. I felt like I might simply go on the market and do what I needed to do.
“It was less judgmental, and I have more of a voice. I also feel that the athletes over there and the people I’m around are … I wouldn’t say bigger personalities, but they are unapologetically themselves. They are not afraid of anything. Whereas in England we have to be always careful about how we present ourselves.”
Ohuruogu asks: “How do you think we could improve based on what you’ve said?”
“People need to use their platform more and just be their authentic self. The media is such a great platform. Maybe it was something you guys where not able to utilise back in the day, but right now with this generation we love to share our story,” stated Anning.
Anning has been working in NCAA competitors with Arkansas Razorbacks
Earlier than the Paris Olympics, Anning had been working in NCAA competitors with Arkansas Razorbacks. One among her greatest moments got here when she beat Katharine Merry’s 25-year-old British indoor report for the 200m in January with a time of twenty-two.60 seconds.
The brand new British report holder isn’t just sharing her story on the observe, she lately additionally appeared in a TikTok advert for the launch of a brand new Victoria Secrets and techniques retailer in London.
For Ohuruogu the world of TikTok and social media is a special period from when she competed. The previous Newham and Essex Beagles membership member solely took up athletics in 2001 in a bid to spice up her netball abilities, and seemed again fondly at her profession.
“Four years is a long time and between my Olympic cycles there was a lot going on,” Ohuruogu stated.
“You have to have a genuine love for what you are doing and a genuine passion and genuine heart. Sport isn’t easy. We are relying on our bodies to work every day and sometimes it just doesn’t, things don’t work as they are supposed to.
“Lots can occur that may throw you off your path. However I loved coaching, I am not simply saying that as a result of I am trying again with rose-tinted glasses. I cherished what I did, I like the truth that I used to be an athlete, I like the truth that I had the chance to push myself and to problem myself every single day and to maintain working.
“I love that things didn’t come easy; I love that I wasn’t always the quickest in the field because that really forced me to believe in myself. Those things helped me become the person that I am and without them I would be a very different person now. It’s been a real pleasure to have the life that I’ve had in the sport.”
So, no regrets from Ohuruogu whose sister competed in Paris and received a bronze alongside Anning. But when she might change something it will be the best way she was portrayed within the media.
“What I do wish I could have got involved in is the fact that you have your own voice, you have your platform, you’re very good at social media and you’re able to be your own personality,” she informed Anning.
“For us we had to rely on a newspaper speaking for us and if they wrote something you didn’t like, you couldn’t fight against it. You really couldn’t.
“Now you might be your individual individual, you possibly can say what you need, you possibly can put on what you want. You possibly can discuss who you might be, in a approach that we have been by no means in a position to do.”
Reflecting on an amazing year and looking forward to the future, Anning insists we have not seen her at her best. She finished fifth in a competitive 400m final in Paris and hopes to keep on improving before the LA Olympics in 2028.
“I’ve excessive expectation of myself, the 400m ultimate was unbelievable to be in that historic area amongst these athletes and for all of us to run sub-50 seconds, even the instances exterior the highest three was extremely quick,” she said.
“However I really feel there’s a lot extra work to do, so I am actually excited to return to the lab and converse to my coach and form of tweak some stuff when it comes to my coaching and preparation.
“I feel that I wasn’t at my best, so I am very excited to just get going again and just push myself even more.”
What Anning actually needs in Los Angeles is what Ohuruogu achieved in 2008. An Olympic gold. Her story is but to be written. Her narrative but to be outlined. And she or he is aware of it.
