Losing with Dignity

I like to share with you an excerpt from an article by Janet Evans, once world record holder and Olympic champion and now swimming analyst. She talks about the emotions athletes are experiencing when they don't get the "golden" laurel and that hiding it is usually better than showing it off.


"Then the Americans got to the swimming pool, where they were expected to dominate. While it hasn't gone exactly as expected, it is still important to lose graciously. The key is to express your emotions in private, without the world watching.

Obviously, 15-year-old Katie Hoff has yet to learn this. When she failed to qualify for the 400-meter individual medley final, she sobbed uncontrollably, only pausing to be sick to her stomach. Camera crews and photographers had a field day.

Maybe that's to be expected. But when world record holder Brendan Hansen was touched out by Japan's Kosuke Kitajima in the men's 100 breaststroke, I was appalled to see him cross his arms over his chest at the awards podium waiting to receive his silver medal. He didn't smile once.

Later, his teammate Aaron Peirsol made a statement to the press that Kitajima had cheated by using an illegal dolphin kick.

Can you say sore losers?

Peirsol's outburst in defense of his teammate led Mike Wise of The Washington Post to write the headline: "Americans prove to be world class whiners."

At the 1992 Games in Barcelona, I was touched out for the gold medal in the 400 freestyle.

I was the world record holder, defending Olympic champion and hadn't lost the race in six years. I was shocked and devastated. All I wanted to do was break down and sob.

As my eyes welled up with tears after I exited the pool, I began to have a meltdown in front of a multitude of cameras.

My coach pulled me by my arm and looked me in the eyes. "Smile" he told me, "you can cry later." As I received my silver medal, only those who knew me well could sense my disappointment."


In life, things often don't turn out the way you want them to be. Athletes spend tons of their time training, all for the hope of getting a medal. Very often, that does not gaurantee anything and many a times they go home with empty hands. I feel that winning is not everything and ultimately as long as you have given your best, there is no wrong in losing. Unless you lose without dignity, that is. Our very own Olympic athletes Ronald Susilo (badminton), Jing Jun Hong and Li Jiawei (table tennis) are highly pressurized to achieve a record for our country. Instead of seeing their smile when they win, I actually will feel more proud of them if they lose (touch-wood) with grace and dignity.