Spikes15 Nov 2017


"This is the big show"

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Shaunae Miller-Uibo celebrates 200m medal at London IAAF World Championships (© Getty Images)

Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo talks us through her dos and don’ts on and off the track.

Championship tip

The main thing is try to stay relaxed. I know a lot of athletes are very tense before they compete, but it is something I have managed to overcome from a young age.

I love competing and I have never been afraid to compete. For me, that is the exciting part. Training is the harder part. I like to stay relaxed when I am warming up and I don’t like to think too much during a race.

Technical tip

When it comes to technique, it is important to trust in and listen to my coach [Lance Brauman]. He sees what you can’t, so if he is trying to guide you, it is important to listen to the coach.

Psychological tip

I try not to focus or think too much during the race. We practice the race models in training many times, so by the time it comes to the race it is natural.

I am an athlete who can stick to the pre-race plan. I know I am here for one job and that’s what I’m going to do.

When I’m racing, I don’t think too much about the race. In fact, I try to let my mind drift to something else. When I am on the back straight, I might even be thinking about what I am going to eat later or what I am going to wear.

Coaching tip

My dad, Shaun, used to coach me and he used to say every time we came up to an important race, ‘this is the big show’. He reminded me that I had put in the hard work and now I just had to show them what I’ve got.

That is something I still remember now when competing at a major meet.

Top tip for surviving the athletics circuit

I get tired of travelling, but I understand in order to compete I have to travel. So my tip is to be determined and remember these are the sacrifices I need to make to reach my track and field goals.

To make the time go faster when I’m travelling I actually try and schedule everything through, so in my head I know it will take me two hours to watch a movie etc.

 
Shaunae Miller-Uibo celebrates her Diamond League win in Zurich

Cooking tip

As an athlete, I have to eat healthily and one dish I’ve always loved from a young age is stir fry with vegetables and chicken. That is my favourite go-to dish and it is easy to make.

Fashion tip

I would say wear what you are comfortable in. So, for me, it would be a pair of jeans with a little cute top, or sometimes a crop top to show off my abs! I don’t like to show off my legs too often, so I definitely wear long jeans.

Vacation tip

I love mountains, but that could be because from I’m from the Bahamas, which is such a flat country. My husband [Estonian decathlete Maicel Uibo] and I went on honeymoon in Switzerland.

For me, because I only have two months off training a year I would say make most of your vacation. It is the time to let loose and go for it.

Driving tip

I don’t really enjoy driving, I would rather just sit back and be chauffeured around. I’m a focused driver who tries to visualise everyone around me to make sure I am safe.

Social medial tip

Try to keep your personal life away from social media. Sometimes people show all their business including family problems on social media. But to me that’s your personal life, so don’t get everyone involved.

Keep social media for your happy moments and stay away from posting too much of your personal life.

Dating tip

Be with someone you want to be around! My husband and I still hold a date night once a month. I would say try and keep everything fresh and interesting. Constantly update.

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