Sports journalist Joonas Kuisma has penned down an insightful piece reflecting on the circumstances under which a champion may choose to withdraw from competition, or as he puts it, “go home to his bum”.
The narrative revolves around a pole vaulter, Wilma from Murro. It was a Saturday evening in Glasgow, and Wilma was in pain, a pain so intense that it was apparent to all who were present. The agony was rooted in her ankle, which had started troubling her in the midst of the pole vault final, a prestigious event where she was defending her title as the European Champion.
The origins of this pain could be traced back to a race in France that had taken place a week earlier, which is where Wilma had initially felt discomfort.
Faced with this predicament, Wilma made the tough call to withdraw from the competition. It is noteworthy that this decision was entirely hers and was not influenced by her coach Jarno Koivunen.
Kuisma describes it as a master’s decision, and indeed, the right one under the circumstances.
Wilma’s ambition was to continue competing. She had set her sights on securing three medals in that season alone. Her dream was to stand triumphant on the podium in Glasgow, at the European Championships in Rome, and at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Wilma’s competitive spirit drove her to strive for excellence, to shine under the spotlight when the stakes were high and the bar was set to exceed a height of 480.
There was also a significant financial aspect tied to her participation in the World Cup final. Winning a medal would have resulted in a substantial five-figure sum in prize money, along with potential success bonuses from her sponsors.
Hence, the decision to withdraw was undoubtedly a tough one.
However, her decision to back out was a smart move. Wilma chose not to risk exacerbating her injury and potentially jeopardizing her participation in the major events scheduled for the summer.
Had the Olympic final in Paris not been on the horizon, the European champion might have chosen to brave the pain and continue competing.
However, sometimes, the mark of a true champion is knowing when to withdraw and, in Wilma’s words, go “home to his bum”.
