Primary Requirements Of A Successful Olympian

Time and Money

An independent research conducted by Voucherbox.co.uk roughly approximated the cost and time required for an individual to go from couch to Olympics in 4 years. It is imperative for an athlete to have funds and manage it effectively in order to be a successful Olympian.

Eating right (Nutrition)

As the saying goes “We are what we eat!”, Olympic athletes need to take care of their diets in order to ensure that their bodies are in pristine condition. A well-oiled machine provides maximum efficiency, similarly an athlete needs to identify what's lacking and supplement the nutrients accordingly.

Different types of Training

An elite athlete knows one’s body well and is able to unlock/utilize various degrees of freedom in order to achieve the objective. And for the athlete to learn and develop their movements different types of training sessions is necessary such as Strength and conditioning, Psychological, Rehabilitation and more.

Setting realistic targets

As rightly described by one of the coaching reports, “Success comes from training and performing well over the long-term rather than winning in the short term. Rushing competition will always result in shortcomings in physical, technical, tactical and mental abilities”. Athletes and coaches need to set realistic targets to achieve the best outcome.

Sport science & Technology

Cutting edge sports technology can help achieve an increase of 5% in the athlete’s performance. Specialists in biomechanics, physiotherapists and sports engineers need to be employed to give the athlete an edge over their counterparts. And at the elite level5% is enough to convert a silver to gold.

Analysis of performance

Performance at competitions and training need to be analyzed effectively and efficiently. This results in identification of the athlete’s limitation, which can be conveyed and worked upon. Holistic development of athlete is more important than developing a particular skillset.

Role of an Athlete Manager

The main role of an Athlete manager is to arrange for the primary requirements and allocate them wisely to ensure that the athlete receives the secondary requirements. An Athlete manager is supposed to ensure that the athlete receives enough funds to help them achieve their goals and objectives. He/she takes care of the secondary requirements so that the athlete has to only put their efforts in realizing their ultimate aim (Olympic medal). This enables the athlete to solely concentrate their efforts into the sport.

Managers share the athletes’ burden by removing the obstacles in their way and paving their paths to success. Create goodwill of an athlete to secure sponsorship from a reputed company. Also motivate and encourage the athlete by getting him/her the backing of a reputable firm. Athlete managers act like a bridge between sponsors and athlete.