The above image is a dramatic illustration of athleticism.
Defined as being physically active and strong, a further adjective description of athleticism implies at having a well-defined and proportional body structure, where physical skills and capabilities are used as strength, agility or stamina.
Anybody who is a sports fan can no doubt attest to witnessing this description in one form or another across the multitude of sporting codes, be it contact sports, equestrian and obviously endurance events. Yet what makes a good athlete and how exactly is one's athleticism acquired? While I'm not sure there is a conclusive answer to either of those questions, delving into what makes various sportsmen and women tick could provide some clues.
My first vivid memory of true athleticism in its rawest form was through a magazine article as a teenager. In 1993, my father brought me back two copies of 220 Triathlon from a visit to his homeland of Great Britain. Overseas magazines of any kind were "gold" in South Africa at that time; either way too expensive at the local newsagent (they still are) or hard to come by, the latter being particularly apt to specialist sporting periodicals.
One of the copies featured the now-defunct Bordeaux Indoor Triathlon, a unique invitational event in faraway France open to the worlds top professional triathletes. Sentimental YouTube videos aside, the eventual winner was Brad Beven, known for his humble roots in the sugar-cane farming communities of rural Queensland. His tactical nous and sheer athletic ability saw him lap the field on the bike ride only to dismount and run the 3000m in less than nine minute barefoot!
The image of Beven complete with a baggy vest and no footwear decimating the field from the gun stuck with me for a long time. Here was one of the world's premiere triathletes at his peak, adding an extra dimension to the exciting international racing scene whilst making his competitors look ordinary at best, and he didn't even need shoes to do it! The article went on to describe how he had used this tactic in another sprint race in Australia, part on tarmac and part on beach sand ensuring his feet would survive.
Now there are many who, upon reading the race report, would have assumed that Beven prepared himself specifically for his exploits sans shoes. And rightly so. Running shoe-less was not exactly de riguer, reserved for the likes of Zola Budd or junior athletics. But a closer look into the well-travelled Australian's humble roots and rural upbringing might suggest otherwise.
Growing up on a sugar cane farm in Miriwinni, the "Croc's" tales of his running to school and back and behind his father's harvester without shoes provided with the grounding and strength to become the dominant force that he was. A simple, agricultural upbringing not dissimilar to the East Africans was part and parcel of developing an athleticism and mindset required for a long professional career. In sort, he had the physical strength attained from years of such grounding to simply exploit his athleticism and go shoe less when required.
Just like the junior lifesavers who grow up on the coast or the rugby players who come from agricultural stock, a certain amount of innate talent is gained through upbringing and lifestyle factors. Watersports are perhaps the among greatest sporting platforms for developing athleticism. Surf lifesaving, water polo and surfing in particular seem to provide a platform second to none. A natural grounding of sorts, which serves as the more commonly known "base" for life and can be applied to whatever the chosen sport.
Simplicity at its finest and in Beven's case, a great example of how upbringing and formative years on the farm served him well for sporting adaptability in later life. Interestingly, athletes who come out of the agricultural communities often credit a parent for guiding them as junior athletes, and Beven is no exception. His father's suggestion for developing upper body strength? Run to school with a brick in each hand! Not exactly what one would expect to see in the city suburbs but a certain amount of logic intertwined with the seeming absurdity in there!
Note: Header image courtesy of Shawn Benjamin and Ark Images.
