‘I can, I do and I will.’ Neville Wright – Olympic athletes interviewed Episode 67

Neville Wright, triple Olympian shares his story how he missed the Summer Olympic Games by 2 hundredth of a second, how he switched to Winter Sports shortly after, and ultimately competed in 3 Olympic Games.

He outlines how his difficult childhood made him more resilient and what his big three are.

Furthermore we discuss

Christian: Today I’m joined by Neville Wright. Neville is triple Olympian, who competed at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi and the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang.

His biggest achievements next to 3 Olympic participations are his 12 medals at World Cups, including a gold medal in 2017 and 7 National Championships.

Welcome Neville.

Neville: Thank you for having me, Christian.

What is Bobsleigh

Christian: Neville, can you describe your sport of Bobsleigh in a few words for those who don’t know what it is?

Neville: Bobsledding is basically where we’re doing tobogganing. We have a sled that’s about 500 pounds. At the start of the track, we go down this icy track as fast as fast as 150 kilometers an hour.

A lot of times people call it choreography on ice. We’re real ferocious and aggressive guys in the beginning and then we turn into graceful, almost like gymnasts and ballerinas getting into the sled.

People call it choreography on ice, we’re real ferocious and aggressive guys in the beginning and then we turn into graceful, almost like gymnasts and ballerinas getting into the sled.

Christian: I saw you competed in the two-man and in the four-man. What would you say is the main difference between the two disciplines?

Neville: A lot of the two-man is on you as an individual to get this going. It’s almost like doing 100 meters in track and field and the four-man is like the relay. The four-man is more team-oriented where everyone has a responsibility to contribute to the team in order for us to be successful.

Christian: Yes. I also saw that. Different countries or different teams have different rituals before the four-man. So there always seems to be some hugging or some high fives or something like that, right?

Neville: Yes.

Christian: You started out as a track and field athlete. Before you made a transition to bobsledding.

Neville: That’s correct.

His darkest moment

Christian: What was your darkest moment in your athletic life?

Neville: That’s a pretty loaded question. I’ve had many moments. I think the darkest moment was probably my last Olympics, in Pyeongchang 2018. Going into the Olympic Games, I was running third in the world with my teammate in the two-man and we won bronze overall for the World Cup.

Then just before the Games, some coaches brought me into the room, and at the last minute told me that I wasn’t going to be doing two-man. I didn’t feel it was justified.

I was running third in the world with my teammate in the two-man. Then just before the Games, some coaches brought me into the room, and at the last minute told me that I wasn’t going to be doing two-man.

So it put me in a really dark place because I invested so much time, energy and focus and determination and I grinded throughout the entire season, showing the performance and it was just really hard to deal with.

Christian: How did you recover from that?

Neville: Honestly it took some time because I was trying to figure out why that happen. I had invested so much energy, time and a lot of emotion because I felt this was the Olympics that we would medal since we were being ranked so high and doing so well.

I almost was basing my life after sport on this moment of winning an Olympic medal, because when you get an Olympic medal it can be life-changing. But then, what helped me get over the whole thing was that whether I’d won the medal or not, it doesn’t define me. I define myself and I realized I could still be successful and do great things, despite not having that opportunity or winning that medal.

I almost was basing my life after sport on this moment of winning an Olympic medal.

Christian: Did you end up figuring out why that happened that you were not supposed to compete?

Neville: To this day I don’t know because the reason behind it wasn’t really justified. They were saying things like they don’t want me to get hurt. I thought that first of all, if you’re going to the Olympics and you’re competing, if you’re going to get hurt, I’d rather get hurt there. But I really never showed anything that would question my longevity or durability.

I did every single race that season, I went through it with them and questioned a lot of things and it just didn’t make any sense. So in the end, I have so much power and so much control of certain situations circumstances, but that one was kind of taken out of my hand.

I have so much power and so much control of certain situations circumstances, but that one was kind of taken out of my hand.

Yes, to this day I still don’t know. I know when the coaches said they made a big mistake about it, but it’s already past so there’s nothing else I can do about that.

How he missed the qualification for the Summer Olympic Games by two-hundredths of a second

Christian: From my research, you wanted to qualify for the Summer Olympic Games in track and field and you missed it by two-hundredths of a second. Talk us through that.

Neville: Leading to those Summer Olympics 2008, I was having a great season. I went into the World Championships for Canada in the 4 * 100m relay and I won a bronze medal at the World University Games in the 100 meters.

Then that year, you know it’s an Olympic year, so you put a lot of pressure on yourself. I was so focused on going to the Beijing Olympic Games, but then earlier in the season, I had an injury. I hurt my hamstring and I was still pushing myself. I think as I was pushing myself to a point where my body started to break down even more.

I was pushing myself to a point where my body started to break down.

There was an accumulation of physical and mental stress because I was pushing myself for my first Olympics. It then turned out I had an adrenal burnout because I wasn’t able to finish a lot of races. I was losing speed, strength and things like that. So when I went to a few specialists they found out what was going on and they tried to correct it.

Then it was like a month out to Olympic Trials. I went there, going to the rounds and then in the second to last round, I was giving it everything I got. I cross the finish line, then realized I missed my opportunity by two-hundredth of a second.

How he made the decision to switch bobsleigh

Christian: How quickly did you make the decision to switch to bobsled, was it quickly after that moment?

Neville: Yes, so after I missed the opportunity to go to the Beijing 2008 Olympics and I had some time to reflect, I was actually going back to the drawing board and starting again. I was working for another quad in track and field.

Then February of 2009, I was invited to a bobsled camp and I went and I got tested on the performance tests for bobsledding. I was tested really well and they said that if I train and work hard, I could make the Olympic Games. I did that throughout the entire summer of 2009.

In 2009 of October, I made the World Cup team.  Then that February of 2010, within less than 6  months of being in the sport, I went to my first Olympics.

Within less than 6 months of being in the sport, I went to my first Olympics.

Christian: That’s really cool.

His best moment

Christian: What was your best moment?

Neville: My best moment in the sport I would say is making my first Olympics. Well, actually making my first national team which was in track and field and then making my first Olympics. It was so special because just based on my life and things I’ve had to overcome, I reaffirmed to myself that I was able to beat the odds.

Based on my life and things I’ve had to overcome, I reaffirmed to myself that I was able to beat the odds.

His advice to a younger Neville Wright

Christian: If you could travel back in time, what advice would you give a younger Neville?

Neville: Don’t procrastinate, dig deep and just keep pushing. Keep pushing for your dream, you’ll make it. I think the biggest thing would be don’t procrastinate just start as soon as you can and learn as much as you can too.

Don’t procrastinate, dig deep and just keep pushing. Keep pushing for your dream, you’ll make it.

I started to learn and take the time to become like a student in sport, learning from coaches, therapists, trainers and whoever it may be. That’s one thing I think I would have told myself, to start your learning process from earlier.

How his Olympic dream got sparked

Christian: I read your Olympic dream got sparked watching the 4 * 100-meter relay at the  Atlanta Olympic Games 1996.

Neville: I was an older athlete getting into the sport. For example, my bobsledding career didn’t start until I was about 28 years old. I remember seeing older athletes like Donovan Bailey and I realized that I’m not too old to do this and to pursue this dream and make it. So I think that’s what inspired me and motivated me.

I remember seeing older athletes like Donovan Bailey and I realized that I’m not too old to do this and to pursue this dream and make it.

Christian: I also remember that race because then when the number three gave it to Donovan  Bailey, he already put his hands in the air and started celebrating, because he knew Bailey would bring it home. That was really cool.

Neville: Yes.

His success habits

Christian: What are the habits that make you a successful athlete or person?

Neville: One of the biggest things is setting goals. It is a really big habit of mine, but making sure that I don’t focus on the goal, but focus on the process. I found that when I would focus on the goal or the dream, it became more of a distraction to me.

Making sure that I don’t focus on the goal, but focus on the process. I found that when I would focus on the goal or the dream, it became more of a distraction to me.

I believe that’s what affected me from making my first Olympics. Now, when I would focus on the process and tell myself that this is what I need to do to get to this point, it helped me get there. I was very diligent at learning and taking up as much information as possible.

So for example, when I would do the sprint with my coach within our group after I do my sprint, I’d come back and stand beside my coach and watch other athletes, to learn more about it. Or when I was getting therapy, I would tell my therapist to speak to me in proper terms.

I did not want them to dumb it down. If I didn’t know I’d ask questions or I’d look it up. So, I made it a habit to, like I said, take every opportunity that I was in and whoever was around me, as a learning opportunity to grow as an individual and as an athlete.

I was very diligent at learning and taking up as much information as possible. I made it a habit to take every opportunity that I was in and whoever was around me, as a learning opportunity to grow as an individual and as an athlete.

How he developed his motto ‘I can, I do, I will’

Christian: Your motto is ‘I can, I do, I will’. You are wearing it on your shirt right now. Can you elaborate on that?

Neville: So it first was like a motto and then it became a lifestyle. There was a moment when I was competing in bobsledding, where I got pretty low and things weren’t going as well as I wanted to and there was a lot of frustration.

I remember sitting down one time by myself and I started to question things at first. Then I was like, ‘I can do this. I know I can do this. I do have the ability, the talent, the gifts and then I will’. The ‘but I will part’ was like a confirmation that ‘I can, I do and I will’, like I will perform, I will be my best, I will do great things.

I remember sitting down one time by myself and I started to question things at first. But then I was like, ‘I can, I do and I will’, like I will perform, I will be my best, I will do great things.

That’s where that came from. So it basically came from a dark moment, I guess you could say, in my life and then I just followed that the whole time. That was my mantra or my ethos, I guess you could say.

His morning routine

Christian: Do you have a morning routine?

Neville: My morning routine started the night before. So I would have everything set up from supplements, my bag packed, everything ready for what I needed for the next day.

My morning routine started the night before.

Then I’d get up, I would already know what I was going to have for my breakfast or whether I had a shake set up for me already or make breakfast and get my stuff together and then head to the track or to the weight room or wherever I needed to do. So, my routine always started the night before.

Christian: Are you still following that?

Neville: I actually still do, even though I’m retired. If I’m going to go do a workout or go do some work or whatever, I’m actually always preparing the night before. I don’t like to be scattered brain and doing things last-minute. I always like to be prepared.

How to prepare for important moments

Christian: How do you prepare for important moments?

Neville: In regards to a sport, for example, I know on the weekend, I would have a competition. I’m starting the week before and getting my mind right. I would have a set routine of things I would or wouldn’t do.

This could be visualization, self-talk, or whether I’m reading or watching things or listening to things that will inspire me and motivate me. Then I just keep reminding myself that I’ve done the work, to trust myself, trust the process and then the end result will take care of itself.

I would have a set routine of things I would or wouldn’t do. I keep reminding myself that I’ve done the work, to trust myself, trust the process and then the end result will take care of itself.

Christian: For example, when you are on the start line in the bobsled, and I think you were the fourth man, that would be around 20 steps where you can maximally accelerate the 500-pound object.

Neville: I think I would do a bit more steps because the pilot would usually do about maybe 16 to seventeen. By the time I get in, it would probably be about, I would say 24 steps, but I never really counted steps. Everything I did was based on feel.

So when I would push, obviously you want to make sure you have the max velocity. So when I would push, it would be based on feel, like where I feel I’m turning over and I would try and time it to get in the sled, just before I hit that breaking point. So yes, I was never really counting. It was just feel.

  • Check out Neville and his team starting at the 2010 Olympic Games

Christian: It’s just a short time, so how do you prepare for that mentally because it’s just a few seconds where you have to go from literally zero to maximum acceleration velocity?

Neville: You know what? I always said that when I was training for track & field before, I would say it was pretty crazy because you’re putting in like close to 40 hours a week or more for a 10-second race. Well, bobsledding is even worse because you’re putting in all that time for a 5-second race.

I always said training for track & field was pretty crazy because you’re putting in 40 hours a week for a 10-second race. Bobsledding is even worse because you’re putting in all that time for a 5-second race.

Maybe even more hours because there’s the training that you’re doing and then there’s behind the scenes of sled work and run or polishing and just all this preparation. So it could total up to like 40/50 hours a week of all the work you’re doing.

So it’s a lot of work for that, but then I do all that work prior to and then we do a lot of visualization, a lot of dryland stuff, different things like that to prepare ourselves.

Why the German four-man bobsled dominated the Olympics for years

Christian: One thing that just came into my head, the four-man bobsled was at least at the Olympics, dominated for some time from these German guys. Kevin Kuske was one of them and Andre Lange. Why do you think they were so good?

Neville: I think it was a combination of great equipment, driving skills and great athletes. Everyone in the sport knew you’re going against the best guys in the world and all these guys, the same work that we’re putting in over here, for example, in Canada or North America, out there they’re doing the same thing.

I think that’s why they’ve done so well. A lot of them also have been doing sliding sports from a young age, from Luge and Skeleton from age of 9.

Christian: Ok, so they are more familiar with the sliding.

Switching gears or switching topics, your first Olympics was Vancouver 2010 and in preparation, a luge athlete died. How does that play on the mind of an athlete because essentially the athlete went down and then had this tragic accident. Did that occur to you guys as well like, are we safe?

Neville: You know what? I wasn’t really concerned. It was very unfortunate with that situation is what they would call as a freak accident, I guess you could say. But I was never concerned if I was going to be safe. On the track I went down, I was working with a very experienced driver, one of the best drivers, so at no point was I ever worried or concern about that.

How to overcome setbacks

Christian: How do you overcome setbacks?

Neville: One is your perspective, it is about understanding that failure or setbacks will happen, and then using them as a learning opportunity. So every time I have a setback, I go back and I reflect and say what went wrong.

It is about understanding that failure or setbacks will happen and then using them as a learning opportunity.

Then making sure that I don’t focus on the negative or what was wrong. Trying to find the positive and saying what went really well and what I can work on. So I always find having a setback as a learning opportunity.

Why he believes that there is no progress without struggle

Christian: That’s ties in very well with a note I’ve taken down here. You like the quote of Frederick Douglass, ‘If there’s no struggle, there’s no progress’.

Neville: Basically with that understanding that struggle, pressure, things like that is necessary to grow. I think if you don’t struggle or have some pressure or experience failure or disappointment or setback, you’re not growing.

I always use the analogy of some of the greatest things are made from pressure. Diamonds are created from pressure. You squeeze an orange, put some pressure on it, what do you get? You get orange juice.

If you don’t struggle or have some pressure, you’re not growing. Some of the greatest things are made from pressure. Diamonds are created from pressure.

Or even when you look at your muscles. You work out. There’s some tearing. You work till failure sometimes, like micro-tearing in the muscle. But then what happens? Those muscles recover, they become bigger, stronger and more resilient.

So I feel that those things are important and order becomes more resilient, more focused and more determined. When you experience failure, it pushes you to grow and be better.

Christian: Right at the moment when you experience failure or setback, you don’t really feel that great. So how do you do that? How do you make sure you still stay on the path of seeing it as an opportunity?

Neville: There are two sides to it. Let’s say, for example, it’s in competition. Say I had a poor first run, where I didn’t push as well or a mistake happened or whatever. Usually, what I’d do if I’m getting ready to go back to the top, I give myself about 5 minutes to be upset about it but then having short term memory about it because I’m still in the competition.

After that, I might give myself time to not dwell on it, but think about it because I think it’s always good. I think it’s good to give yourself time to reflect if you need to be upset and frustrated. We’re all human, so those are our normal reactions and emotion.

But then once again having that short-term memory and finding the positive and what can I learn from the situation and experience and then moving on.

I give myself about 5 minutes to be upset about it. But then finding the positive, what can I learn from the situation and experience and then moving on.

As an athlete, if I have that short-term memory and be able to move on because then if you get stuck dwelling on it, then it definitely starts to affect your performance.

His role model

Christian: Who’s your role model and why?

Neville: I’ll be honest, I didn’t really have any role models per se. Growing up, my role models were fictional characters. So superheroes like Spider-man, Wolverine, Batman were the guys who I looked to growing up when I was younger.

The reason is that they all had that inner struggle or turmoil that they were battling with. They had to battle to be successful, but then they’d always find a way and then they kept pushing and they never gave up. To tell you the truth, that’s who I looked to more.

My role models were fictional characters. The reason is that they all had that inner struggle or turmoil that they were battling with. They had to battle to be successful, but then they’d always find a way, they kept pushing and they never gave up.

Then as I started to get older, I see other athletes doing great things. For example, when I had little nicks and bruises and injuries and stuff, I remember seeing they had a still picture of Allen Iverson when they’re in the playoffs. They were circling all the areas on his body that he had or something that was sprained or fractured or torn or whenever.

Despite that, he still kept pushing and working hard and showing up. I looked at that despite whatever was going on with my body, I was still able to push myself and find a way to be successful and compete at my best.

The best advice he received

Christian: What is the best advice you received and who gave it to you?

Neville: To tell you the truth, I remember there’s a point when I was in limbo and I just didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life or what direction I wanted to go. It was actually a Minister from my church who was just talking to me one day. I was saying that I was just confused and didn’t know what to do.

He said something that was so simple. He was just like, “Nevs, do what you love.” I was like, “Yes, yes, do what I love” and I knew what I enjoyed doing. I know it’s so simple. Such a simple phrase, “Do what you love”. I wondered why I didn’t figure that out myself. Then from there, I started to pursue my passions, my desires, and dreams.

A minister from my church was just talking to me one day, he said something that was so simple “Nevs, do what you love.” Such a simple phrase, I wondered why I didn’t figure that out myself. Then from there, I started to pursue my passions, my desires, and dreams.

Why he believes to use sport as continuing education

Christian: Speaking about advice, I listened to a podcast where you were featured in. I think there’s very powerful advice you touched on that a bit before. Use your sport as continuing education. I think that’s really powerful for young athletes or any athlete. Talk us through that?

Neville: I always try to pride myself on being a smart athlete. Anytime I work with athletes or teammates or whoever, I always encouraged them, like it’s pretty much you’re still in school as an athlete. I would take every situation as a learning opportunity from every coach that I’ve ever been around.

It’s pretty much you’re still in school as an athlete. I would take every situation as a learning opportunity from every coach that I’ve ever been around.

I had the opportunity to work with some amazing therapists from around the world. For example, when I was training I always wanted to know why I was doing some drills. I wanted to know what was the purpose of them. I asked about getting, stronger, faster and things like that.

So I would absorb as much knowledge and information as possible with the therapist. Like I said, I would ask them questions while they are treating me on the table sometimes. It’s easy as an athlete to let your mind wander. Nowadays people are on their phones and distracted by other things.

I was actually paying attention to the techniques that they’re doing and asking questions. Then what I would actually do is, when I wasn’t getting treatment and other athletes would be getting treatment, I would actually come in the room, sit down and watch what they’re doing, asking questions and watching their technique. So I took every moment as an athlete, as a learning opportunity which now I’m able to carry that outside of sport, like in my life now.

Christian: That’s something that piqued my interest when I made my research about you. You’re drawn a little bit more to the therapy side rather than the training side?

Neville Wright: You know what? It’s kind of both. When I was competing as an athlete, I was preparing myself for when I exit sport. So I was always working on ‘my big three’. My big three are therapy, coaching and my biggest passion which is speaking.

I’m drawn to all three, probably speaking more than anything, like being able to share my story and help create change and help others that have come from my situation or background. But all three of them, I feel have a common commonality between them, is that it’s helping others. So I would say if I was to go in the order, I would say speaking, therapy, and coaching.

When I was competing as an athlete, I was preparing myself for when I exit sport. I was always working on ‘my big three’, therapy, coaching and my biggest passion which is speaking. All three of them, have a common commonality between them, which is that it’s helping others.

How his story and background has shaped him

Christian: You mentioned your story and your background. Where you’re coming from, is there something we missed?

Neville: Yes. People know my background as ‘Neville Wright, the athlete’. I tell my story, but the background, where I grew up, with financial hardship, I had to overcome a lot of adversity, like my father passed away when I was two years old, so my mom had to take care of us alone.

My story and background is, where I grew up, with financial hardship, I had to overcome a lot of adversity, my father passed away when I was two years old, so my mom had to take care of us alone.

So that was a bit of a struggle and I didn’t really have all the opportunities that most individuals would have. Then growing up, in school like for example, I had a speech impediment and I couldn’t articulate myself properly, I couldn’t pronounce a lot of words, so sometimes I struggled to find words.

I had to deal with a lot of things like bullying and people making fun of me, criticizing me, things like that. I think between the financial hardship, dealing with bullying and negativity and then also being a young male of color that didn’t have a father-figure in this life, there’s a lot of obstacles I had to overcome.

Usually, with that type of background, you’d almost be considered classified in a statistic, where you end up down a certain path. Your path usually doesn’t look very great. Usually, people always say you’ll be in some type of trouble or just success doesn’t look promising.

So I feel that for the fact that I was able to overcome all that, especially finding and sport helping me overcome that, I feel like those situations made me a stronger individual and more resilient. My strength, my ability to overcome and my resiliency didn’t come from sport.

It came from my life prior to sport. Sport itself just gave me an outlet to direct my energy and my focus and helped me to overcome the pain, the hurt, the frustration. Sport provided that opportunity to deal with that.

The fact that I was able to overcome all that, made me a stronger individual and more resilient. My strength, my ability to overcome and my resiliency didn’t come from sport. It came from my life prior to sport.

Christian: How did you make sure that you’re not getting down the wrong path or what helped you?

Neville: There were two things. I realized at a young age that you’re always left with a choice. I can either decide to go one way and there were poor influences that were just trying to bring me down one path, but then I made the choice.

I had pretty strong morals. I come from a religious background, so my mom did her best to try and guide me down that path. Then I realized that I don’t have to become a product of my environment or my circumstance.

I decided that I could be better than that. I don’t have to go down the path because people think that I’m going to go down that path. I can make a change and change and dictate my own narrative.

I realized at a young age that I was always left with a choice. I realized that I don’t have to become a product of my environment or my circumstance. I decided that I can be better than that, I can make a change and dictate my own narrative.

Christian: At what age did you take up sport?

Neville: As a kid, I played sport all the time. So I would say as soon as I was able to walk. I was always outside playing and learning different things. I remember getting my first bike at I think, 7 or 8 years old and teaching myself how to ride.

I actually would put the bike up against the fence and start holding on the fence and pedaling. Then I would just ride, but then I didn’t really know how to stop, so I just kept riding and riding.

Or I would go to the top of a hill, jump on the bike and it starts rolling, and then once again, I would just keep riding it. I would ride forever and not stop until I figured out how to do it. So I learned quite a bit on my own when it came to the sport.

A typical training day in the life of an Olympic Bobsleigh athlete

Christian: Back in the days, how did the typical training day look like?

Neville: Oh man. So a typical day is like I get up in the morning, I’m already prepared. Sometimes I would go see a therapist before, like whether it’s physio or chiro to get some things cleaned up.

I would go train, so I would do, sometimes my sprint sessions. Say, for example, it’s two sessions a day, my sprint session would probably be around two to two and a half-hour. That would be a combination of warming up, activation, sometimes doing my extra rehab exercises and then from there, I would do my sprint workout.

After the sprint workout, you get to have a cool-down such as jogging, stretching or rolling. Sometimes after that session, I would go and see my therapist if I didn’t see them before. Then I would get a three-hour or a four-hour break in between to rest and recover from my sprint workout.

Then I’d go back to the gym to do the weight session, where once again, I’m going through that same process. I’m warming up, doing the activation and the necessary drills to prepare myself for the lift. Then I go to that lift.

After I’m done with that, once again, I do the cooldown. After that cool down, I would do a recovery bath, for example, after my roll and stretching. Then making sure that I’m getting a meal soon enough, like right away, so that I don’t lose all my gains, I guess, you could say.

His interview nomination

Christian: Do you want to nominate someone to be interviewed?

Neville: I would nominate Katie Uhlaender from the USA skeleton team.

What’s going on in Neville Wright’s life these days

Christian: You retired earlier this year. What’s going on in your life these days?

Neville: Now that I’ve transitioned out of the sport, there are a few things I’m actually working on now. Once again, my big three. For speaking, I’m taking every opportunity to go around and speak to others, share my story and hoping that I’m sharing a story that can be motivational and influential to others.

I’m taking every opportunity to go around and speak to others, share my story and hoping that I’m sharing a story that can be motivational and influential to others.

I’m currently working as a therapist. So I’m a massage therapist by certification, but a Performance and Pain Management Therapist. I take my experience as an athlete and the knowledge, everything that I’ve learned from being an athlete and then my schooling and about creating my own style of treating.

So my practice is called Wright Performance and Therapy based in Edmonton and then I’m also coaching. So speed and acceleration coaching, teaching athletes how to sprint, mechanics increasing efficiency and quality of movement.

So those are the big three things I’m working on right now and then I have another project that I’ll be doing. It’s called the Wright Way, where I actually get to meet up with great athletes, champions of their sport, coaches, and learning more about their sport and getting to learn about them while also trying out the sports as well.

Why he decided to retire

Christian: Your decision to retire, how did this come about?

Neville: There were a few things. The main thing was I did World Championships in Whistler and it was like a ten-year full circle where Whistler was the very first track I went down and competed on and I finished my career on that track.

The World Championships in Whistler was like a ten-year full circle where Whistler was the very first track I went down and competed on and I finished my career on that track.

Then there are a few things within my sport, where I thought maybe it’s time to move on. The biggest thing that sticks out is that like I say, I’m an older athlete. So I’m 38 now and retired and the unfortunate thing with a lot of us athletes, especially amateur athletes, is that we don’t have a retirement or a pension when we leave our sport.

I’ve been competing Team Canada for14 years, so the biggest challenge is that when we’re done competing, we have to start another career outside of sport. So it’s almost like graduating from University and then trying to find a job or set yourself up.

Unless you’ve got into the right situation with the right people, you’re starting from scratch. So I didn’t want to delay that and I really want to start my career and give back. I wanted to start giving back after all these years of having that support and competing in my sport.

Where can you find Neville Wright

Christian: Where can people find you?

Neville: You can find me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. If you’re looking for a therapist or a coach, you could also go to my website.

Neville Wright’s social profiles

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Website Neville Wright

Website Wright Performance Therapy

Christian: Really cool. Neville, thanks a lot for your time.

Neville: Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

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