Donovan Report

Donovan at Work

Donovan and his sister Catherine left Vancouver on July 19 to travel to Winnipeg and the Can Am meet there. It was his  last competition before the Paralympics. Unfortunately his knee stiffened and began to swell after landing. He has a torn lateral meniscus of his right knee, complicated by a meniscial cyst. He was able to race the first 2 days but when he reported swelling and unusual pain I recommended he scratch from the Sunday events. This he reluctantly agreed to and all was cleared with the coaching staff. From Winnipeg the team went to Flagstaff to train at altitude. An excellent plan to maximize London performances. His knee was problematic at the camp, and  there was a suggestion to drain the cyst, I have received 2 independent opinions not to do so, thus rest, ice and advil will continue to be the strategy.

Donovan and Catherine returned to Vancouver on August 6, and we were have our first family dinner as Hamish had returned from LA the previous day. The reunion was short lived as Deborah and I left Aug 8 for Europe, Catherine and Donovan left Aug 11 for Italy, Hamish being at home to care for house,dog and cats.

The reports from Italy are mixed. The knee continues to smoulder, but his times in practise are where they should be. As athletes near an important competition they must deal with many things.

Firstly, as the workouts become shorter, with bursts of speed, they begin to have more energy. They are like race horses, just wanting to run… but it is not time yet! The extra time and energy can often be an opportunity for doubt to creep in, but it is too late to change. I have seen bizarre behaviours from tears, to personality changes , to fixation on weight and diet. If the athlete allows these distractions to take hold,their performance will be sabatoged. It is here that support staff , coaches and trusted friends play an important role in support.

Donovan has expressed concern over minimal distractions, why he questions, is not an internet connection supported for him in Italy. It is his connection with the world, we know that other athletes have been instructed to stay off face book, and of course at the Olympics some were cut from their team when comments came into the public domain.He worries about support at London. In the past I had been there, doing the warm-ups, making sure he was at the ready room on time, minimizing travel times, optimizing meal timing and content. Catherine is playing that role now, but will not be in London

To everyones credit and with Catherine’s initiative there has been a formal mechanism set in place to define who will support Donovan in London.

Donovan will find a way for this to work in his favour. The support he has received is less than previous years, this is because he is not ranked highly, resources have been directed elsewhere. He is gone from top dog to underdog,but it is always easier to chase than be chased. He is older now, he has perspective, he is a veteran, and  this will help him meet these challenges. As he has learned repeatedly in his career, all you need is a lane in the final.

Read a great article from Gary Kingston on Donovan

http://www.canada.com/life/Weekend+Extra+Donovan+Tildesley+sees+things+differently/7142925/story.html