The story of Canada’s Olympic champion decathlete Damian Warner’s rise to athletic greatness centres round that previous adage: when the scholar is prepared, the trainer will seem.
On this case although, there have been two lecturers.
Warner was a shy Grade 10 pupil who had by no means performed organized sport, however his life was to vary endlessly due to two highschool English lecturers who had been obsessive about making Montcalm Secondary Faculty in London, Ont. a basketball powerhouse.
Gar Leyshon and Dennis Nielsen started educating collectively within the late 1990s and shared a love of sport. Nielsen, who first taught Warner English in Grade 10, mentioned there wasn’t something all that memorable about his younger pupil on the time.
“He wasn’t a pupil you’d bear in mind. His attendance wasn’t nice. Faculty wasn’t his precedence. There have been points that had been extra vital,” Nielsen mentioned. “I do not bear in mind a lot about him from then.”
However there have been rumblings across the college that Warner was an athlete Nielson and Leyshon wanted to recruit for his or her basketball crew.
“Damian was like a mythological creature. You by no means noticed him. He had by no means performed on a crew,” Leyshon recalled. “Dennis is a builder-upper. He advised me, ‘it’s essential meet Damian.’ He lastly got here out to attempt to play basketball in Grade 11.”
WATCH | What motivates Damian Warner?
Olympic decathlon gold medallist Damian Warner sat down with CBC’s Ian Hanomansing and shared why staying humble is so vital to him, and what drives him after breaking the Olympic document for decathlon factors.
Nielsen remembers an early follow on the college’s fitness center. He and Gar noticed Warner sprinting on the treadmill.
“Gar and I checked out one another and I mentioned when you needed to decide anybody in right here to be in your crew for any sport, who would you select?” Nielsen mentioned. “I mentioned I will take that skinny child on the treadmill any day of the week.”
Warner performed each basketball and soccer that yr. Leyshon was in awe of his expertise, but in addition knew he had numerous work to do in making an attempt to get by means of to Warner.
“He by no means spoke to me. All the season he by no means spoke to me. By no means made eye contact with me,” Leyshon mentioned.
Pivotal second
Unfazed, Leyshon’s subsequent objective was to get Warner competing on the observe and area crew. The one drawback with that was neither trainer had any concept what they had been doing when it got here to athletics.
However Leyshon loved being a coach. And Warner liked leaping. So, in these early days, the 2 had been making an attempt to determine what that meant when it comes to competing.
Like in lots of nice tales, there was a pivotal second. Leyshon remembers getting Warner to run up and down hills again and again and {the teenager} wasn’t joyful.
“He requested me, ‘why we’re doing this?'” Leyshon mentioned. “I advised him sometime you are going to be one of the best on this planet. That is why we’re doing this. I do not even like observe and area. This is not for me, that is for you. After which I went to the automotive. He finally got here and I drove him residence in full silence.”
However because the sullen Warner bought out of the automotive, he seemed again at Leyshon and requested what time follow can be the following day.
They’ve by no means seemed again.
Crew was beginning to assemble
Leyshon knew he needed to type a crew round Warner to make up for what the 2 of them did not know. He began making cellphone calls round city.
Bringing on Nielsen was a pure, seeing as that they had that connection by means of basketball. Considered one of Leyshon’s subsequent calls was to Vickie Croley, the top coach of Western College’s observe and area crew.
“Gar reached out to me and requested if I’d be serious about teaching him,” Croley remembered. “Damian was actually shy. I noticed the dynamic energy and pace he had. Simply such a gifted athlete. However he needed to discover ways to run higher mechanically.”
That was one piece of the puzzle. The crew was beginning to assemble. Croley took considerably of a head-coaching position whereas Leyshon and Nielsen oversaw different elements of the method.
However they wanted assist with pole vault.
That is when Dave Collins, who coaches the self-discipline at Western, obtained a name from Leyshon. One take a look at Warner and he was in.
I bear in mind day one, the second Damian bought off the bottom with a pole my jaw dropped. I turned to Gar and mentioned, ‘What was that?– Pole vault coach Dave Collins
“I bear in mind day one, the second Damian bought off the bottom with a pole my jaw dropped. I turned to Gar and mentioned, ‘What was that?'” Collins mentioned. “To see one thing that athletic and that explosive, you knew immediately that this was completely different.”
The group of 4 had rallied round Warner, totally ready to do no matter it took in these early days to maintain him motivated, targeted and impressed.
“It is the surroundings I have to be in. It was a protected surroundings,” Warner mentioned in remembering these early days. “And I used to be inspired to fail. That is the place you discover success. I feel individuals see this completed product and suppose it is so easy. However some practices are horrible. However the subsequent day we come again and it is a new day.”
Olympic debut in 2012
Warner made his decathlon debut 12 years in the past on the Canadian championships when he was 20 years previous, his first main competitors. He got here in second with a formidable rating of seven,449 factors.
“His capability is off the charts. We had taken the time for him to develop at his personal tempo,” Croley mentioned. “That first yr he scored virtually 7,500 factors which is extraordinary. I knew how good he was going to be by watching his early performances.”
That preliminary spark of pleasure was now a full-blown flame.
Leyshon and Nielsen had been taking clinics to study extra concerning the decathlon. Croley and Collins had been doing no matter they may to proceed to construct up Warner. A yr after his first decathlon, Warner gained his first nationwide title with a rating of 8,000.
And simply two years after his first decathlon, Warner made his Olympic debut on the London 2012 Video games.
Watching all of it and beaming with satisfaction was Warner’s mother Brenda Gillan. To her, the success had seemingly occurred in a single day.
“He did get good actually quick. Originally he wasn’t fairly positive about all of this. He did not suppose he was prepared for his first decathlon after which he got here in second,” Gillan mentioned.
What Gillan nonetheless has a tough time wrapping her head round is how a lot Leyshon, Nielsen, Croley and Collins cared about her son, each in these early days and at present.
She says they’ve all the time been so invested in him not solely athletically however as an individual as effectively.
“It is superb. They take outing of their life away from their household to let Damian obtain his desires. You do not meet individuals like that too typically. I recognize them a lot,” she mentioned.
Gold in Tokyo was the objective
In London on the 2012 Video games, Warner completed a good fifth. Now with a four-year lead as much as Rio, the crew actually leaned into coaching and preparation with targets of gold.
Leyshon admits the stress and the expectations, in addition to the dynamic of getting to work with so many individuals round Warner, was difficult.
“All of us have grown and progressed. However at first it was awkward. It was awkward for years,” Leyshon mentioned. “I assumed I used to be the top coach, however Vickie was. There was additionally the truth that Dennis and I had been educating full-time. We coached observe and area. And I used to be teaching a observe membership. I had two youngsters at residence.”
And in the midst of all it was Warner, making an attempt to remain targeted to succeed in his final objective of standing on high of the Olympic podium in Rio.
That by no means occurred. And whereas Warner did seize bronze, his first Olympic medal, it wasn’t the color he wished.
“After going by means of what we went by means of final yr to win gold, I spotted in 2016 I wasn’t ready to win the gold again then,” Warned mentioned. “It requires a lot consideration to element and preparation. I wasn’t there in 2016. I can look again then and notice I wasn’t there.”
All of them knew one thing wanted to vary.
Moved to Calgary
In a dialog Leyshon will always remember, an emotional Warner mentioned he thought he needed to go away his hometown.
Leyshon says he offered three choices. The primary was to maintain doing issues the way in which they had been, and the second was to rearrange the teaching workers however maintain working in London.
The third possibility was for Warner to maneuver on.
“Damian mentioned he was pondering of leaving. I advised him we love him and we’ll all the time be right here. And that generally it’s essential go away to develop up. I do not suppose he anticipated that response,” Leyshon mentioned.
Not lengthy after that Warner was off to Calgary to coach with veteran observe coach Les Gramantik.
“In truth. I assumed that was it. I assumed he was gone and that he would find yourself profitable a world championship,” Leyshon mentioned.
It was painful for everybody. However in hindsight, it was among the best issues that might have occurred.
“I feel that was vital. After 2016 we had been all slightly pissed off,” Warner mentioned. “It was probably the most vital issues I’ve ever finished as a result of it allowed me to reset slightly bit. Les taught me the technical issues.”
However after a few years in Calgary, Warner felt the pull of residence, and classes taught by his mother.
“I’ve all the time advised Damian from the start to always remember the place he got here from,” Gillan mentioned.
Two years after leaving, Warner got here again to London. And the band was again collectively.
I knew this was the place I wanted to be, however I additionally wanted to depart. After I got here again right here, issues had been shuffled round. I had slightly bit extra say.– Damian Warner on his transfer to Calgary and return to London
“I knew this was the place I wanted to be, however I additionally wanted to depart,” Warner mentioned. “After I got here again right here, issues had been shuffled round. I had slightly bit extra say. Les advised me to take possession of my program.”
Leyshon took over as head coach. Croley targeted solely on hurdles. Collins stayed dedicated to pole vault.
And Nielsen, who helps oversee issues with Leyshon, is there to maintain everybody collectively and joyful.
“Dennis is the proper social lubricant. He and I are sharing a mind. We agree on virtually precisely the whole lot,” Leyshon mentioned. “This is the reason now we have a crew of individuals. We’re all so vital to one another. If it is simply one among you, if it was simply Damian and I, that will be powerful.”
They set their sights on gold for Tokyo, however may have by no means imagined their preparation can be derailed the way in which it was when the pandemic hit. With 10 completely different occasions to coach and put together for, it was virtually unimaginable to discover a place to proceed preparing for Tokyo.
WATCH | Canada’s observe and area crew a drive in world athletics:
After moments of brilliance all through the years, Canada now has a observe and area crew stuffed with depth, and able to compete on the worldwide stage.
That is after they arrange store in a hockey enviornment in London.
“It was horrible coaching within the rink. It was a relentless stress. We had been apprehensive they had been going to shut us down. It bought colder and colder and I assumed Damian was going to get damage,” Leyshon mentioned. “I felt it slipping away and so did he.”
However the crew wasn’t going to let that occur. Sure, they had been coaching much less, however there was one other shift that occurred.
Warner and his accomplice, Jen Cotton, welcomed their child boy, Theo, to the world.
“I mentioned that final yr when Theo was born it was the proper timing. It introduced a relaxed to what Damian was doing. It gave him some perspective,” Nielsen mentioned. “Damian is the form of one that is household and values oriented. All of it stems from his mother. He sees himself in that very same form of place with Jen and Theo.”
The Olympics, after a yr delay, had been nearing. However Warner was targeted on being one of the best dad he may very well be.
“Theo coming into our lives modified the whole lot,” Warner mentioned. “I’ve a newfound mission. I am not doing this for myself. I’ve a transparent imaginative and prescient. I wished to and need to present my son something is feasible.
“I need him to develop up with the identical message my mother shared with me that something is feasible.”
Warner did simply that in Tokyo.
He turned simply the fourth individual in historical past to submit a rating of greater than 9,000 factors when he set an Olympic document final summer time in Tokyo to say gold.
He says he is ready to carry out in addition to he has due to the help he receives from everybody round him, together with his accomplice.
“Jen would not get the credit score she deserves. Theo was an enormous inspiration for me final yr however with the ability to go away, particularly after they’re that younger, Jen took care of him. She despatched me all these movies,” Warner mentioned.
“Being a mother is without doubt one of the hardest jobs on this planet and he or she does it amazingly.”
Crew thinks he might be higher
For Leyshon, Nielsen, Croley and Collins, the gold was a end result of years of arduous work, heartbreak, highs and lows.
They would not have wished it some other method.
“It is surreal to suppose that there are billions of individuals on this planet and that we’re a part of one of many biggest athletes of all time is fairly particular,” Collins mentioned. “This isn’t a one-in-a-million individual. This can be a one-in-a-billion individual. It is the whole lot. His pace. His energy. His technical experience. His mindset. To place collectively 10 occasions the way in which Damian does is so particular.”
Warner’s mother marvels at what her son has been in a position to do all through his life.
“He is so humble. It is thrilling to look at your baby do one thing he is dreamed about for therefore lengthy,” she mentioned. “I am very pleased with his accomplishments, however I am extra pleased with who he’s as an individual.”
And whereas Warner, now 32 years previous, has reached the highest of the decathlon summit, there’s the sense across the crew he might be higher.
And there is one thing lacking in Warner’s lengthy checklist of achievements. He is by no means gained a world athletics championship title.
“He is nonetheless not excellent. There are all the time issues to work on,” Croley mentioned. “He has had a few of his best-ever hurdle practices inside this final yr. We’re ready for it to occur in a race.”
After which there’s Leyshon and Nielsen. The 2 who’ve been there since day one. Making ready for an additional worldwide competitors with that child they believed in on the very starting.
“I nonetheless pinch myself. I prefer to suppose I’ve had a small half on this nevertheless it’s all Damian. You possibly can say Gar and I had been there once we wanted to be,” Nielsen mentioned. “We’ll take credit score for all the time being there for him. I would do something for him. He is like household.
“[We feel] a lot of satisfaction when Damian takes to the observe sporting the Canadian colors.”
Leyshon has been unwavering in his help of Warner. And continues to be his greatest cheerleader.
“I’ve all the time thought he would be the better of all time. Meaning profitable one other Olympic gold. World championships. That is what I’ve all the time envisioned for Damian,” Leyshon mentioned. “I feel he is one of the best athlete to have ever finished the decathlon.”
Warner in any case these years of getting all this positivity round him, is as assured as he is ever been.
“I feel one of the best is but to return,” he mentioned. “I really feel like I am the strongest I’ve ever been. We’ve got a greater concept of how I can carry out my greatest.
“I feel so long as we’re all joyful and wholesome, there’s nonetheless much more to return.”
Author: ” — www.cbc.ca ”