Big Shots in Sport

Mick: D’you see all those medals? You know he’s “Sir” now?

Jes: Sorry, …who’s a what?

Mick: Y’know Steve Redgrave … Sir Steve Redgrave the Olympic rower. There’s an article here on him. He’s the only guy to have won five consecutive gold medals at the Olympic games.

Jes: Yeah, ‘course I know him, he’s one of my sporting heroes, isn’t he? Ever since I tried rowing in my first term at university and…

Mick: I didn’t know that you er…rowing I mean.

Jes: Yeah, yeah, gave it up, totally, absolutely, completely knackering – too whacked to make it down the pub afterwards … (laughter). So, how does Steve Redgrave manage it?

Mick: He sayes here it’s all in the training – he’s been training eight hours a day, seven days a week for 25 years – er started when h was 16, he says he pushes his body to the absolute limit, beyond the pain limit, beyond the pain barrier – just like he does in every race. His body goes numb and his mind goes blank – he doesn’t even hear the crowds cheering him on.

Jes: Oh, boy, do I remember the pain barrier?! – Jeez, I was stiff the next day …had joints like and old man.

Mick: Yeah – day in, day out Steve’s down at the gym working out – working on leg, arm, back, shoulder muscles. Is that man focused?! Doesn’t sound like the kind of lifestyle you’d go for! (laughs)

Jes: Hey, hang on … he doesn’t have my health problems…

Mick: Oh yeah?! And what may those be?

Jes: Well, there’s by bad back…

Mick: Oh yeah…only if you’re asked to get off it to do something like…-er

Jes: Like what?!

Mick: Do the washing up! Tidy the flat! Well, actu…in fact Steve Redgrave does have health problems – real ones – not imaginary ones…

Jes: No?

Mick: He’s diabetic…says here he was diagnosed with diabetes at 35. has to use insulin every time he eats – er that six jabs a day.

Jes: You’re kidding. I had no idea.

Mick: Yeah, he drinks gallons of blackcurrant juice to quench his thirst when he’s training. Doesn’t sound much like, your kind of drink. Hey, take a look at Steve’s diet, he’s the carbohydrate kid – porridge, pasta and potatoes, loadsa red meat and eggs…oh, and he loves chocolate.

Jes: Obviously, doesn’t have to watch his weight then…

Mick: No, lucky so-and-so, and he has to keep up his strength, has to consume over 6000 calories a day, all seventeen stone of him.

Jes: Well, he’s a helluva big guy, so dedicated to his sport he has to keep eating!

Mick: Hey, …but it says here all that dedication –er nearly cost him his marriage – too much time rowing, no time for his family – er and he’s got three kids. His wife’d enough of it all – do you know, she’s an osteopath! How handy is that? Anyway, she felt that he was sacrificing his family to his obsession – so that’s why…

Jes: …he’s not going for a sixth …no, no…I knew he was giving it all up.

Mick: He sounds a really decent guy, actually – modest – he says being knighted was the ultimate accolade, he never expected it – and it was his greatest moment, after winning the fifth medal of course – and now he plans to make use of his fame by raising money for children’s charities. He’s running the London Marathon this year, he wants to raise £5 million eventually.

Jes: …Hey, I was thinking of doing that!

Mick: What?! Raising 5 million?

Jes: Idiot…no, I thought I might try the Marathon.

Mick: With your bad back!

Jes: OK maybe next year.

(Adapted from: HWadv_Unit10.6)

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16