In .04 seconds, what can happen?
A smile;
A knife cut;
A bee sting;
A “thank you” said;
You’re on or off the podium.
Last night in the Women’s Olympic Skeletal event, Katie Uhlaender, United States, lost the Bronze medal to Elena Nikitina, Russia, by 0.04 seconds; that’s 4/100 of a second.
In what seemed like an eye blink, Katie, a great athlete, was off the podium.
World class athletes are used to winning or losing by seconds. Competing at that level, they know everything counts. They train and give their all knowing some small movement, a sudden wind, a distraction, rough spot, or something else they can’t control could make the .04 difference. Yesterday it did and Elena, another great athlete, won.
It made me wonder, where in my life could there be a “.04 difference”? And more importantly, how would I go forward when it happened? Uhlaender vowed to rebound.
Here’s to great athletes everywhere! Who keep doing what they love. Sochi Olympics, February, 2014