THE GREATEST IN HISTORY: Foundations of Creating an Elite Sprinter/Hurdler

Abstract

Utilizing a combination of some longer-form observations as well as interviews, this paper seeks to engage in discussion with elite sprinters and hurdlers as to the contexts, traits, and perspectives that allowed them to attain this degree of success within their sports. Doing so by sharing their stories, and intertwining their thoughts on their development with my own perceptions, in this work I draw conclusions on the nature of motivation, of perseverance, and of success within the sport of track and field (as it pertains to hurdlers and sprinters.) This allows for the consideration of greater trends in the making of the elite, and gives ideas that can be extrapolated into other arenas of life in a way that lets us consider the true nature of becoming elite and attaining success, in whatever way that manifests itself.