10 Children in Scotland Winter 2014

Not everyone can be a world-class athlete, but we can all make the most of sport andexercise to help us in life, Commonwealth Games star Jamie Bowie tells David A. Findlay

Going the distance

For us mere mortals, the sight of an athlete in full flow,running to glory en route to yet another medal, mayseem like a different world. But even our nation’s finestathletes started somewhere and their path to successwas never without its hurdles and holes.

Jamie Bowie, a competitor at this year’sCommonwealth Games in Glasgow and aninspiring speaker at the recent Children inScotland sports conference, is no stranger to

stumbling blocks. His storyproves all young peopleshould never turn their

backs on sport or exercisebecause of the benefits across the

board it could give them.

Jamie, who is the number one 400-metre runner in thecountry, has endured his fair share of challenges, but it ishow he faced these head on that has made him theathlete – and the man – he is today. Jamie explains: “In anyjourney to success, there are always setbacks of somesort, and it is how you deal with these setbacks thatdefine us as a person.

“I’ve had a fair share of my own setbacks, both personaland sporting. Last year, after the excitement and joy ofbeing selected for the World Championships in Moscowfor the 4x400m, and after running the fastest relay leg in the team, it was a very tough blow not to be selectedfor the team in the final. It was the sensible way in which I dealt with this that showed me to be a professionalathlete and ultimately made me more determined to succeed.

“Even now I am dealing with the tough blow of losing my British Athletics and UK Sport funding and support.This will have a big impact on my preparations for the2015 season and how I balance my work and training life – but, if anything, it has made me more determined to succeed in 2015.”

And he added: “My mentor, Frank, always reminds me thatin life and in sport, ‘failure is not about falling off your bike; failure is not getting back up on the bike’.”

There are some who believe only those that are good atsport can truly benefit from taking part. Jamie dismissesthis as nonsense, adamant that all young people in

Jamie Bowie in action at thisyear’s historic CommonwealthGames in Glasgow

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“In life and insport, failure is

not about fallingoff your bike;failure is notgetting back

up on the bike”

Below: Jamie (left) goes through his paces in training, in Kilmarnock, ahead of the Games

Jamie’s career highlights and achievements:

l European Under-23 4x400m Relay Gold Medallist, Ostrava, Czech Republic, 2011l Selected for World Championships in 4x400m Relay, Moscow, Russia, 2013lWorld Indoor 4x400m Relay Silver Medallist, Sopot, Poland, 2014l Selected for World Relays in 4x400m Relay, Bahamas, 2014l Scottish Record in 4x400m Relay and fifth place at the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow, 2014l Scottish No.1 since 2011 in the 400m l Second fastest Scot ever in Indoor 400m and fourth fastest Scot ever outdoors in 400m

Scotland can gain from taking part. He says: “There is, ofcourse, the obvious wellbeing benefit – for body and mind– to taking part in sport and exercising regularly. This isreally important from a young age and all the way throughlife, but we often forget that taking part in sport can begreat fun.

“There is a whole social side to sport and to exercisingwith friends that we often don’t think about. Sport is agreat way for young people to develop, it teaches us anumber of valuable life skills like rewards through effort,teamwork, dealing with challenges and adversity – and that is at all levels of sport.

“When getting involved in sport you should always try tokeep focused on your own targets and goals, and especiallytry not to compare yourself with others – everyone hastheir own ‘pace’; people have different motivations anddevelop at different rates.

“That is not to say don’t be competitive – you can becompetitive with yourself, set yourself targets and goals onyour progressions, fitness and skills. And, most importantly,

keep having fun and enjoy it! Most of us won’t reach theheights already set by Jamie in what has been a sterlingcareer to date, but we can all appreciate how much he hasachieved through his dedication and hard work.

Asked about his special sporting moments, the first eventmentioned will come as a surprise to no-one: “One of thebiggest highlights of my career to date has to be theGames, in Glasgow. I set a Scottish record in front of ahome crowd, which included friends and family. It was aonce-in-a-lifetime experience. The people of Glasgowreally made the Games a huge success and there was areal buzz in the lead-up and all the way through.

“My biggest achievement, however, would have to be my first global medal. When I won a medal at the WorldIndoor Championships in Poland, the smile on my faceshowed how much it meant to me.”

l In the next issue, we speak to wheelchair athleteSamantha Kinghorn, who has become a champion indisability sport following a tragic accident when she was just 14 years old

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