“People have no patience for anything, they easily replace their desires and dreams, and this takes them far away from the success,” says Teresa Marinova in an interview with Dalia Shtilyanova, 11-grader at 125 Boyan Penev School.
Teresa Marinova is a Bulgarian track and field athlete, competing in the triple jump discipline. Her world career began when in 1995 she won the European maiden title in Hungary. In 2000, she achieved the impossible – she won the Olympic Games in Sydney with the remarkable 15.20 m. She came home with a bronze medal from the World Championships in Athletics in 2001, as well as from the then European Championships. She won the 2001 World Indoor Championships in Lisbon and the 2002 European Indoor Championships. Nowadays, Teresa is involved in athletics, but as a coach. She helps the younger generation to learn from her experience and teaches them qualities that are not only related to sports, but also how to be champions in life.
Ms. Marinova, when did you first set foot on the track and did you assume back in the day that athletics would be your future?
I started to train at the age of 6, and at first everything was more of a game. Probably, I chose athletics, because my father was an athlete and the Bulgarian record holder at 800 m. I can’t say that I had high expectations at the very beginning. I think my big ambitions came in 1995 when I won the European girls title in Hungary.
What keeps you involved in sports? And why did you choose to coach young people?
When you’re an athlete at that level, sports are a lifelong brand. Even if I had not chosen to continue as a coach, my choice would certainly have been related to sports and rather to athletics. Otherwise, the coaching job is a very big responsibility, which is important not only to the young competitor, but to his parents too. You do your best to see the positive change, to educate young people and to build values. Sometimes it’s a great pleasure, sometimes it gives you sleepless nights, but there’s nothing better than helping someone make their dream come true.
What were the most difficult moments in your career?
There were many hard moments, but the worst one was a year before the Sydney Olympics in 2000. I got injured and had to experience two operations. The question in such a moment is how you perceive what is happening, I accepted it as a challenge and in the end I won.
How does it feel to be an Olympic champion?
It’s hard to describe, it was a very important moment for me because I fulfilled not only my dream, but also my father’s dream.
What do you think about upcoming young competitors and sports nowadays?
I think that becoming a successful competitor requires a fierce self-discipline that few people are willing to impose on themselves. But for me, the key to success is patience, being able to build your career slowly and finally see the result. Today people don’t have any patience for anything, that is why their desires and dreams are easily replaced.
What are the qualities you like most about yourself?
Patience and brutal stubbornness.
What is the most difficult part of your job now?
To make children believe that miracles happen when you are willing to reach them with dedication and hard work.
