A champion (identical to the French, from the late Latin campio) is one who has repeatedly come out first among contestants in challenges (especially the winner of a tournament or other competition) or other test, one who is outstandingly skilled in their field.
Over the last weekend I witnessed 3 champions in their own rights and fields. Martina Navaratilova, Micheal Schumacher and Roger Federer.
Martina, born in Czech Republic, winner of 18 Grand Slam Single titles, 41 Grand Slam Doubles titles, 9 Wimbledon titles and the indisputably the greatest female tennis player of all time.
Michael, born in Germany, 7 is the number of F1 world championships, 90 is the number of races he has won and by sheer weight of numbers alone, the greatest F1 Driver ever.
Roger, born in Switzerland, winner of 9 Grand Slam titles, 11 Masters titles, and the present world No.1 in men’s tennis by a distance and practically a “living legend”.
One thing is sure; you don’t become a champion overnight!! Many factors go into making a champion. Firstly they have goals and missions, coupled with a burning desire for success and a great motivation to turn their dreams into reality. But it’s not merely wanting to become the best, but certainly goes beyond that.
No champion is alike in having the same set of characters to win. Every champion has a different reason, which propels him towards the goal. Wilma Rudolph, who astonished the world with her running abilities by winning three gold medals in the 1960s Olympic games, was born with a childhood disease that forced her to wear a special leg brace until she was 11. She said, "My first goal was to get rid of that ugly shoe and walk and run like the other kids." When she discovered she had talent, she wanted to be the best, but didn't dream she would become the best in the world. The great diver, Greg Loganis, had a similar childhood problem. Mary Lou Retton admitted that she wouldn't have become a champion without her coach. Some have fought back excruciating pain to win. For Mark Spitz, it was mostly pride and fear that brought him to seven goal medals at the Munich Olympic games.
There is so much we can learn from these champs, which can help us to become a “champion” in our own rights. We can implement some of these qualities in our professional lives; instill them in our peers and subordinates and build better organizations. We must be willing to forgo temporal pleasures to achieve a more worthwhile goal.
Martina and Michael may have bid adieu, but their legends will live forever…
5 comments:
Nice un Santhu.It really lifts the spirit and drives to win in more competetive world :)
Micheal Schumacher !? Six Times world champ ? Well he may be a champion, but not much of a sports man. Or should we blame team policy for the lack of ethics ?
When I think of champions in F1, I'm thinking Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna and Jackie Stewart...
I'm left without a champ these days..
Seven times, in fact!! In new age racing the competition heats up so much that you have to drive wheel-to-wheel sometimes. Today Ferarri asks no.2 to make way to no.1. Tommorrow Renault will do it when they have some stake, as we saw in y'days race itself when Fisichella made way to Alonso. You have to be ruthless to win sometimes like the Aussie cricket team. They use sledging n stuff, even though its not "fair". At the end of the day they are the best team in the world.
Just beacause Schumi has used questionable method sometimes(5/250), doesn't make him any less of a CHAMPION or a SPORTSMAN..
Dear Santhosh!
Vats here, I do agree he is greatest driver in terms of number of record he holds. Some of the records being
* Most championship titles: 7
* Most consecutive championship titles: 5
* Most race wins: 91
* Most consecutive race wins: 7 (in 2004 - European GP, Canadian GP, United States GP, French GP, British GP, German GP, Hungarian GP) This record is shared with Ascari, who won the last 6 races of 1952 and the first one of 1953. The following race was the Indianapolis 500, in which he did not participate. Afterwards he won other two races, but since the Indy 500 was officially part of the F1 World Championship, his winning streak was already over.
* Most race wins with one team: 72 with Ferrari
* Most race wins at the same GP: 8 at the French Grand Prix (Magny-Cours)
* GPs won in most different countries: 20
* Most time between first and last race wins: 14 years,1 month and 2 days
* Most second place finishes: 43
* Most podium finishes: 154
* Most consecutive podium finishes: 19 (from the 2001 United States Grand Prix, until the 2002 Japanese Grand Prix)
* Most points finishes: 189
* Most laps leading: 4970 (with a total of 23,464 km in 136 Grands Prix)
* Most pole positions: 68
* Most consecutive pole postitions: 7 (tied with Alain Prost)
* Most starts from first row: 108
* Most fastest laps: 75
* Most doubles (pole position and race win): 40
* Most hat-trick (pole position, race win and fastest lap): 22
* Most championship points: 1,364
* Most consecutive race finished without retirement: 24 (from the 2001 Hungarian Grand Prix, until the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix)
* Only racing driver ever, in any racing class, to win 5 times at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
* Only racing driver ever, in any racing class, to win 5 times at Autodromo Nazionale Monza
2004:
* Most race wins in a season: 13 (out of 18 races)
* Most fastest laps in a season: 10 (out of 18 races; tied by Räikkönen in 2005)
* Most championship points in a season: 148 (out of a maximum of 180)
2002:
* Most podium finishes in a season: 17 (out of 17 races)
1995:
* Youngest double World Champion
The one major record Schumacher is set to miss out on is the record for most Grands Prix competed in. His final race will be his 250th so he will finish 6 short of Riccardo Patrese's record of 256. Another would be most pole positions in a season. That is held by Nigel Mansell with 14.
But somehow i feel he is not a good sportsman. Well its just my personal opinion. I do agree in present day competition is so much that you go to any level to achieve whats asked from you.
Australian Cricket Team they play tough they sledge, they play mind games and do al sorts of things and they are number 1 in the world. But are they sporting enough? the new Chairman of ACB has told their players prior to the Champion trophy to maintain proper discipline on & off the field and not to indulge in any kinds of brawls with players of other teams or media.
But winning without any controversy thats the hallmark of a true champion. Take for example Roger Fedrer to be one among them. Very few people or team can come to this level where in they are very humble and are champions.
Check out this link on Schumacher's Controversial Chequered History". I still respect his talent and admire his skills and i do believe he is one of the best in the business but i dont agree on he being a true sportsman. He may not be considered on the same league of Niger Mansel(I dont know much of him), Ayrton Senna and few others in the same field. His records may be remembered but will be soon forgotten as a person!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/5024532.stm
Vats, Tnx for the comments.
I somehow feel that there is a kind of cynicism that develops over people who overachieve in their field. Sampras was all about serve & volley. Lance Armstrong doped. Schumi is not sporting enough, Sachin doesn't win India enough matches under pressure and so on..No matter whatever sledging the Aussies do, I never heard anyone say that they haven't won fair & square. And that's what makes a good sporting team or a sportsman, winning fair & square, isn't it? Maradona is considered a true champion, sometimes even more than Pele. He has had his share of controversy with the infamous "Hand of God" goal, which won them the world cup.
Rahul Dravid was reprimanded once for sruffing the ball. This from man who is widely regarded as one of the best sportsman around. My point is when you are on a winning spree or a loosing spree, you tend to do something more to change the result. Ergo shouldn't actual term them as being any less sportive.
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