What happens when you are expected to stand on the podium as an Olympic medallist – but you finish fourth?

Swimmer Katinka Hosszu was favourite for gold in 2012. (Interview starts at 03:05) During the race, she realised that she was in third position and the person in first couldn’t be caught. She started to be mentally distracted. The Hungarian finished the race and looked up at the board to check her time. She had finished fourth and was ‘devastated’. Some were even advising her to walk away from the sport entirely.

Hosszu used this disappointment to become the ‘Iron Lady’ who broke the world record for the 400m Individual Medley in 2016. Finishing fourth was a necessary step on her journey to winning three Olympic gold medals (and also a silver!).

That redemption hasn’t happened for rower Emma Twigg (interview starts at 12:04). Or at least not yet! She finished in fourth place in the single sculls twice – in 2012 and 2016. In the boat after her performance in Rio, she vowed to give up the sport. Now, she’s making a run at Tokyo 2020 which would be her fourth Olympic appearance. Yes, she has thought about finishing fourth in Tokyo. And, although she’s aiming for the gold medal, now she’s at peace with missing the podium and proud of what she has achieved.

LINKS:

PODCAST: Ctrl Alt Delete http://www.emmagannon.co.uk/category/podcast/

BOOK: Hosszu’s book in Hungarian - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11652298.Katinka_Hossz_