OLYMPICS PARIS 2024
Games Prep
The preparations for the Olympics were extremely intense. At times, after track camps, I genuinely wondered how I was supposed to complete another four hour endurance session the next day. There were also moments when I went straight to my room after dinner and fell asleep in front of my phone at 8:00 pm.
What is even more remarkable is how far the body can keep pushing, even when it feels brutally hard.
One week before departure, we did a full simulation following the exact schedule and structure of the omnium. I had a cold, but I managed to get it mostly under control by the time we left.
We traveled by TGV five days before the competition began. In the days leading up to the big event, we focused on recovery, even though it was sometimes quite stressful with interviews and meetings.
D-Day
The big day had arrived. The funny thing is that I slept better than on any of the previous days. I felt relaxed and focused. There was hardly any nervousness, probably because of my mindset. I was already here, and that alone was a success no one could take away from me. But today was about going out there and showing the best version of myself. No matter what the day would bring, the goal was to stay happy and know that I had given absolutely everything.
The first half of the omnium went really well. After two out of four races, I was sitting in sixth place overall. Unfortunately, I dropped back in the elimination and the points race.
Eleventh place at my first Olympic Games.
I was happy with that, and the experience I take with me, hopefully into the next Games, is incredibly valuable. This October, at the World Championships, the qualification for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028 begins.
Result
P11 Omnium
Image: Arne Mill