Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding skaters who all are your fans, they shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in this field?
Ms. Meagan Duhamel:
I think the most important thing is to remain positive. It’s easy to fall into a trap of feeling negative or discouraged but if you allowed that to happen, it’s harder to get out of that hole. There is always something positive in every experience and we need to stay focused on that. I also encourage people to dedicate themselves 110% to their goals. You can’t ever achieve greatness if you aren’t fully dedicated. Dive in and emerge yourself with your mission and your dream. Live with passion and purpose.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
How did you feel before and after winning the silver medal at the 2017 Four Continents Championships?
Ms. Meagan Duhamel:
Before the Four Continents Championships this past February, 2017, I was feeling strong and ready. This event was being held at the Olympic venue, as the Olympic test event, and my partner and I had just finished a fantastic Nationals where we won a record breaking 6th National title. I actually arrived in Korea and my skates didn’t make it. My luggage was lost en route to Korea and I couldn’t practice during our official practice session because I had no skates or training clothes. This was difficult but I stayed focused and did a lot of visualization for my preparation and luckily my skates arrived the day before the competition began. Unfortunately, we made some mistakes during the competition, but I left the competition with positive energy and motivation to work harder for the future.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Who has been your greatest influence and motivator in your success in the field of your career in competitive skating?
Ms. Meagan Duhamel:
I have had so many people that have been my motivation during my career. Of course my parents, because I couldn’t have done all of this myself. I needed their support during my younger years, emotionally and financially and they were always there for me to encourage me during difficult times. Now I would say my husband is my biggest influence. He is also my skating coach. It was him that suggested Eric and I skate together as a team, he had a vision of us before I believed it was even possible. He always remained positive and open-minded with Eric and I and he always allowed me to stay focused on the task at hand. My husband is also great with helping me keep my feet on the ground and keeping me humble. Without him, Eric and I couldn’t be where we are and we owe him everything.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
When playing professional sports, athletes often face injuries and other difficulties, would you like to tell the audience about how to cope up and make a comeback after an injury?
Ms. Meagan Duhamel:
I experienced a terrible injury in 2009/2010 as I was preparing for the Olympic qualification. I had a herniated disc and 2 stress fractures in my lower back, which resulted in my right leg going numb for almost 3 months. Some mornings I couldn’t get out of bed, but sheer willpower pushed me through my training and competitions during this time. Because it was an Olympic year, there wasn’t a day to waste and I had to train through all the pain. After my season was finished, I took some time away from the sport to heal my body and during this process I discovered pilates, essentrics and yoga. I learned how they could help my injuries and possibly prevent injuries like this from happening again.
Maintenance is so important and I became dedicated to a new way of training after this injury. I see my therapists on a regular basis, even if I have no injuries, because I need help to maintain my body’s optimal state. Taking care of my body became my #1 priority after this injury and thankfully I never had a bad injury like this ever again.
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