Darryl Neita’s “fantastic season” , part 3

This is part 3 of Stuart Weir’s features on British 100m champion, Darryl Neita and the story of her fantastic season. 

Darryl Neita,  Part  3

When you talk to Darryl, you are immediately aware of the positivity.  There is always an element of disappointment because she wants more and believes she can do more.  She talks about heart-breaking moments and the curse of the 1/100^th of a second (see separate post) but keeps it in perspective: “Eugene was heartbreaking [missing the 100m final by 1/100^th of a second], even though it was a fantastic season”.

I asked her to sum up her season. This was her thoughtful answer: “I feel like in athletics we want something so much and when we achieve it, we are immediately looking for the next thing.  But to round off the season in Zurich [Diamond League Final], I was feeling more gratitude than anything.  I’d made such a big move, changing coaches – a spur-of-a-moment decision – and now I’m so happy with the coach I have and the group that I’ve joined.  

“The work that we’ve put together really paid off.  I ran a PR this year, and got individual medals – my first individual medals – it was just a fantastic season.  I think I showed a lot of strength and character.  Some people were deterred by the three championships but I wasn’t fazed at all and I think I showed that”.

Her reaction to missing the World Championship final by that 1/100^th of a second showed the tension that is always within her – a tension between gratitude for the achievements and progress made and the burning desire to achieve more and get faster.

“So many people say ‘you should be happy with what you’ve done’.  Yes, I am happy with what I’ve done but when you know what you’re capable of and what you’ve done in training and know what your body can do, you will always have the attitude – ‘I wish I had done a bit more’.  Yes, it’s important to be grateful and to appreciate the good moments and not undervalue them, but at the end of the day, we are athletes and we want to be number one.  So, until I am number one with that Olympic gold medal, then I am always going to be searching for more”.   

With the focus on the three championships, it is easy to forget that she was GB champion at 100 and 200,…