Welcome to our new Feldspar feature, Ask the Athlete! In this series, we’ll be sending a list of questions to a number of top athletes from around the world, and first up, we have Chanelle Price!
Chanelle is a world-class 800m runner, bursting onto the athletics scene as a teen sensation, before winning the gold medal at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in 2014.
This series will ask athletes a number of athletic and technology based questions, while also delving into what makes these athletes tick, and addressing the mental side of the sport.
On your marks. Get set. Go!
- How does technology help athletes today? Thinking about races, training etc, are there any specific tools/apps/pieces of equipment etc that really help the modern athlete? What are they?
One of the most recent technological additions we’ve seen in the track world is wave lights. In the Diamond League distance events, these wave lights on the inside rail of lane one are there to indicate to the competing runners (as well as the audience) if they are on pace to run a certain time (usually a world lead, meeting record, or world record). I’ve heard mixed reviews, but overall I think it’s a step in the right direction. Other technology that helps today are instant blood tests (like Redox) to help athletes see how they are recovering from training, as well as the 1080 machine used by a lot of sprinters for resistance training.
- What are the three main areas where you wish there was more innovation in athletics?
Fan engagement- I don’t think the average person truly understands what they are witnessing when they see someone running fast or jumping far. If we want to grow the sport, we have to provide viewers with a more fan-friendly, entertaining experience that gives them a better-insight of what they are watching.
- How do you think technology like Feldspar could have revolutionised your life as a professional athlete, if it was available when you were competing?
Not only would the advanced flooring have helped me achieve faster times, but the real-time data that my coach and I would have received in regards to stride length and energy conversion would have helped me become a more efficient runner. I also think the live feedback would have been so cool for fans to see, and would have drawn bigger audiences to my races.
- If you could communicate with your younger self, as an aspiring professional, what is it that you’d tell that person that you wish you had known at the time?
I would tell my younger self that I’m so much more than just an athlete. Yes, I should give it my all and strive to be the best I can be, but my worth is not defined by how I perform on the track.
- We’ve just seen a very competitive Olympic games, albeit with very few new World Records. What were your thoughts on the games?
I thought the games had some fantastic performances, and I really enjoyed seeing some of the “surprise” winners like Julian Alfred in the women’s 100m, Letsile Tebogo in the men’s 200m, Quincy Hally in the men’s 400m, and Cole Hocker in the men’s 1500m. It was really sad to see two of Jamaica’s top female sprinters, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Sherika Jackon, not be able to compete due to injury. Hopefully they are well on their way to recovery.
- Mental health is a huge part of athletics. There are obviously huge highs, but how did you deal with low points during your career (injuries, losing big races etc)?
It took me a while to develop a good strategy to deal with the lows of the sport. Once I did, here’s what worked best for me:
1. Feel what you feel - Athletes are always so tough, but at the end of the day, we are human beings with emotions and we are allowed to be upset, sad, angry, disappointed, confused, etc. It’s important that we take some time to process our feelings.
2. Come up with a plan - After we process our feelings, it’s time to come up with a plan. Circumstances may not be ideal right now, but what is in my control? What can I do today to move closer to my goal?
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help - Again, athletes are some of the toughest people out there so we try to fight our battles on our own, especially the mental battles. But true strength isn’t shown by fighting alone. True strength is being brave enough to ask for help. Whether it’s a family member, trusted friend, sports psychologist, coach, or spouse, it’s important to talk to someone about what you’re struggling with mentally.
- If it wasn’t for running, which other sport would you have liked to have competed in?
Soccer! Growing up I played a ton of sports - dance, soccer, basketball, tennis, baseball, and track. I chose to focus on track in high school because my parents saw I had a bright future in the sport, but soccer was actually my favorite!
- Who is your all-time sporting hero?
Wilma Rudolph. Her story has always inspired me. The focus and drive she had to overcome polio and go on to win multiple Olympic medals is a true testament of perseverance.
- We saw breakdancing added to the Olympics. What one crazy sport or skill would you add to a future Olympic games?
Tap dancing. I was a pretty awesome tap dancer myself! It’s an awesome skill, and I think it would be very entertaining at the Olympic level.