I'm Gonna Win - Foreigner

Quote:- 'Hemery 'killed' his rivals to win ... takes the gold, in second place Hennige and who cares who's third? - David Coleman

Song Choice:- Taken from the brilliant 'Foreigner 4' album, which marked the completion of the band's shift to hard rock from their AOR late 70's sound, the title 'I'm Gonna Win' seems a little vulgar in this day and age. You see, I believe society has been attacked by the 'Failure Enablers' and 'Energy Vampires' that's made the whole nation no more than average especially at athletics.

I wonder what folk would say if Steve Cram came out with David Coleman's famous commentary from the 1968 Olympic Games today. I'm sure there would be uproar but apart from Sir Mo (who is Somalian really and trains in the States but a nice chap), we aren't a nation of 'Winners' any more - we just seem to be making up the numbers.

I mean, where's the bite, where's the venom and what return are we getting from the 15 GB Athletes receiving up to £65k a year from UKA? What return can we expect from the 2020 Olympics when in Rio the medals reportedly cost £5.5m each to win? It might be even less next time round.

In these World Championships, apart from Sir Mo, the closest we have got so far, is a 4th in the 800m Men's race by an athlete that isn't even part of the 'UKA Groovy Gang's Band A Funding'. (Laura Muir was also 4th but her losing margin was more). The GB athletes simply aren't living up to expectations and instead of the 7 or 8 medals UKA predicted, it looks like we'll only get 2 and both will be Sir Mo's.

So what has he got, that the others lack? It's simple, the will to WIN, at all costs as his livelihood and his families future depends upon it. It's amazing how hard we can all try and how hard we can all work when the chips are down and our livelihoods depend on our ability to stay on task.

It's easy to tell just how much work Sir Mo has put in over the years whereas some of the other athletes obviously haven't given as much to their event as he has to his. The medals aren't won on the night, they are won over years and years of training mixed with with pure hard graft and determination.

Personally I love working hard and giving things 100% because what's the point if you are just free-wheeling along and not enjoying your lot. Working hard is fun too and you don't even have to be a UKA sponsored athlete trying to win a medal, you just have to give things your best shot and if you do, they become more enjoyable and become your own champion as well as anyone else's.

So here's a question... if you were racing in your particular field of expertise, where would you finish? First? Or are you making up the numbers?

Amen.

Rory Coleman - 997 Marathons - 244 Ultras - 14 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,617 Days' Alcohol Free - 465 Days' post GBS
& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir

Location: Cardiff, Wales.