A group of promising young Brazilian athletes has received training and advice from two sporting legends who are in Rio de Janeiro on Olympic business. Sergey Bubka, one of the greatest pole vaulters of all time, and Nawal El Moutawakel, the first African and Muslim woman to win an Olympic gold medal, worked with 30 aspiring sportspeople on Sunday (22 February) at the Brazilian Army’s Physical Training Centre. They talked about their life experiences, offered tips and even trained alongside the youngsters.

“It was a great day,” said Bubka, who won gold at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. “I tried to inspire them by sharing a little of my knowledge and experience. Nobody is born an Olympic champion – you become a champion if you have focus and really dedicate yourself. I believe that having this contact with people who have already experienced all this can be a good lesson for those who are starting out.”

Bubka gave a demonstration of the pole vault (Photo: Rio 2016/Alex Ferro)

El Moutawakel, who won the 400m hurdles title at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics Games, took charge of a training session in her specialist event and also highlighted the importance of hard work. “When I was an athlete, I did 1,000 sit-ups per day,” she said. “That’s right, 10 sessions of 100 sit-ups!” The Moroccan told the youngsters that 99 per cent of what is needed to become a champion is training, while just one per cent is down to luck and opportunity.

El Moutawakel and Bubka are members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission for the Rio 2016 Games which is making its eighth visit to Rio this week. Chaired by El Moutawakel, the commission monitors preparations for the 2016 Olympic Games and provides advice and support for organisers.

This is the first time that the IOC has put its team of former Olympic athletes into action to engage youngsters in a host city. Three sports clinics will be given this week, covering different sports – athletics, fencing and rowing. Each one will see experienced athletes provide guidance to young people.

El Moutawakel got involved in the nitty-gritty of preparing the track (Photo: Rio 2016/Alex Ferro)

“The IOC members are all sportspeople, so for us – and I include myself in this as a former Olympic athlete – being with these young people is like going back in time, rediscovering this positive energy that sport provides,” said Agberto Guimarães, Rio 2016’s Executive Director of Sport.

“I’m delighted to be here with these young athletes,” said El Moutawakel. “It reminds me of when I started out. I think it’s important for them to know that sport opened up many paths for me and I’m very grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had as a result of the sport I chose. However, it’s important for them to know that there are no miracles. You need to love what you do, to dedicate yourself and train hard every day if you want to become a champion. That’s what I want to convey to them.”