DIARY OF AN ATHLETE

Written by Trackandmemes, on 13 June 2023

Timothée Simaga, french hurdler , has just broken both his records by running the 400-metre hurdles in 52’’ 37, and the 400m flat in 49’’ 42. In this article, he talks about how he managed to achieve his goals, the various difficulties he encountered, and much more...

You did two races in one weekend, which enabled you to beat two records set 5 years ago. What was your mindset during these two days? Did something click?

I did the 400m hurdles on Saturday, and the next day the 400m flat.

For the mindset, before, me and my coaches used to calculate a lot. We used to think about how to have a good race and what strategy to develop.

Personally, I prepared myself mentally for the competitions I had to take part in throughout the year, so that I would be ready on the big day.

But this weekend, for the 400m hurdles, I pulled the plug on everything in my head and told myself that the work was done! That I had confidence in my body and that I had to start the race really strong. I didn't ask myself any questions about how the race was going to go. I just went with what I felt.

I hadn't run the 400m for 5 years. And the next day, I lined up for this distance, thinking that I'd be in a very good heat, and with athletes who would probably achieve a performance in 47 seconds. I was like a outsider. I just wanted to follow them and, if possible, get past some of them.

So I really unplugged my head for two days, saying to myself " Go on, you're trained ».

How have you managed to stay motivated for 5 years without ever improving your times?

I came away from the French U23 Championships with a medal in 2018. Then I had one injury after another, and then there was Covid-19...

In terms of performance, there were times when I was close to my personal best. And when you get close to your time every year, you keep hoping. Even if it doesn't pay off yet, you still want to believe.

But this year, I said to myself that I had to beat my record because it would be an achievement for me, a way of moving forward in my mind.

In everything I did, I kept telling myself that competitions weren't on the agenda yet, but that I had to stay motivated. Because once it's time to compete, I'll be really happy. That's how I prepared myself mentally.

Last year, there was an athlete in my group for whom the hard work paid off. He also does the 400m. And when I saw that, I said to myself that if it paid off for him, then why shouldn't it pay off for me?

What's more, the 400m hurdles is not an easy discipline! Why did you start it in the first place?

I've been doing athletics for 10 years. I'm currently 26.

I started with the 400m flat, but I wasn't very good enough to go to the French championships, so my coach suggested I try the hurdles. I started watching YouTube tutorials to learn how to hurdle. And right from the start, we noticed that I was very good at hurdling.

You can start hurdling late and make good progress. There's never an age to start.

If we go back a few months or even a few years, who was Timothée Simaga and what difficulties did he encounter?

If you go back a few years, professionally I didn't know what I wanted to do. And mentally, I had to pull up all the stops to get out of my grave. At both a family and personal level.

What was really complicated was the injuries, like all sportsmen and women. Then there was Covid. And then the death of my mother... No matter how old you are, losing a parent is a complicated ordeal. That was the event that almost ended my career.

But I'm a very religious person, so I prayed a lot. I asked God to help me mentally, and in my soul, to get through this.

Not every athlete has the same story. But you have trodden a path strewn with pitfalls. How is your devotion to the sport changing you?

I realise that compared to other athletes, I don't have the same story. I've had my share of setbacks, but I've hung in there and today I'm proving that it's paying off. It increases my motivation and my desire to perform even better in this sport. It's much more than a desire, it's an implacable faith.

What are your objectives for the rest of the season?

I'm going to be racing next week in the 400m hurdles, where I'd like to go for the 51 secondes. I'm not going to ask myself any questions at this competition. I'm going to go hard because I've done the sessions to be able to go fast. And then I'd like to go for something lower, like 50 seconds in the 400m hurdles.

And over the long term?

I'd like to get closer to the World Standard in the 400m hurdles. So I'd like to get into the big leagues. To be able to run in 49 seconds, or even less.

Any last words?

Firstly, there's a verse I often say to myself that has helped me. It’s Hebrews 10:36. I repeated this verse to myself before the competitions.

Finally, my mother is buried right next to where I live. To increase my motivation, I promised myself that I wouldn't go to the cemetery to see her grave until I'd beaten my record.

And to be honest, it was a great determination for me! Because I had to do it, and I did it.

You can't give up. There's always light at the end of the tunnel.