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Former Olympic and World Champion speaks at 9th International Conference on Physical Activity and Health in Abu Dhabi
Michael Johnson at the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) Congress in Abu Dhabi. — photos provided
A sporting icon says finding and developing young talent and exposing them internationally will ultimately lead to the birth of an Emirati champion who will serve as a role model for generations to come.
At the ninth International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) Congress in Abu Dhabi, sprinter, Olympic champion and world champion Michael Johnson stressed the need to foster a culture of fitness and a love of sports among children.
“The challenges facing the region are unique because of the climate, because there is no real youth sports participation culture. If you have a long history of youth sports participation, eventually some of these people will become icons and professionals in the sports world, and they will To be a role model to inspire the next generation. Without that, it’s a unique challenge. So there is no silver bullet for this, not even an Olympic champion,” Johnson told reporters.
The ninth Congress, held for the first time in the Middle East, is organised by the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) and features a wide range of events including football matches, yoga, Zumba classes and initiatives such as the “Billion Steps” challenge launched last month.
“Conferences like this are needed, and there are many initiatives now underway and a lot of research coming out to address this. This requires a commitment to problem-solving and recognizing the unique challenges facing the region,” said the four Olympic and eight world gold medal winners. said.
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With the theme “Making Every Action Count”, the conference brought together academics, practitioners, thought leaders and policymakers to discuss collaborative approaches to promoting the adoption of physical activity.
Johnson praised Abu Dhabi’s intention to host a live event, saying: “Obviously, hosting the event itself shows a great interest in community health here, a great interest in fostering an active lifestyle among the citizens here. Thank you Abu Dhabi for hosting this event.”
Johnson noted that he used to do sprints as a kid because he enjoyed sprints with friends, a fun element missing from today’s generation, who are still addicted to smartphones and video games.
Johnson stressed that school and college sports are the main sports platforms in the United States, but there is no such structure in the UAE.
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“The charm of being able to go to the next level. That’s the unique vibe of America, the level, you move on to the next level. I’m focused on taking it to the next level. It’s a unique situation in America, but in the rest of the world, the UAE It would be one of those, like, you don’t have college sports, which is huge in the U.S., but it doesn’t exist here. So, that’s why it’s important here to recognize that it’s a different situation.”
Johnson was the only male athlete to win both the 200m and 400m at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and the only man to successfully defend his Olympic title in the Sydney 400m four years later. When asked about how to build the UAE’s own global superstar, he said: “First and foremost is to be patient. If you start today, you won’t have stars tomorrow. It’s a very long-term process that requires Create youth sports infrastructure and identify talent early and then do talent development or pathway programs so that you can develop that talent to the point where those identified athletes can compete at an international level. You have to keep developing and developing that talent, Eventually someone breaks through and becomes a champion just because of the numbers, but it takes time.”
He noted that incorporating physical activity into the school system and easily accessible communities would help make it part of the lifestyle.
“I’m no longer an athlete, but I’m still committed to having an active lifestyle because I realize how important it is for the rest of my life. I think it’s important to be able to demonstrate that to young people.”
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