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Michael Johnson One of the greatest track and field athletes of all time, he has four Olympic gold medals and eight World Championships gold medals next to his name.
But even for an elite athlete as gifted as Johnson, the quest for glory begins with a passion for running and physical fitness.
It is this desire to be healthy and active that Johnson hopes to instill in others.
The US track and field legend met with community members in Abu Dhabi on Monday as part of a “Billion Step Challenge” panel discussion at the ninth International Association of Physical Activity and Health Congress at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
Johnson, 55, discussed the importance of regular physical activity at a three-day event hosted by the Ministry of Health and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre. It is the first agency in the region dedicated to the physical, psychological and social well-being of the Abu Dhabi population.
“Sport is my hobby and regular physical activity and exercise has been helpful in my track and field career. So I’m excited to be at the convention and share my knowledge to engage people and explain the benefits,” Johnson told National.
“My role is to help communities, organizers and policymakers understand how to help people get involved and how to integrate programs into them.
“Motivation is a big part of that and my role is how to get them to understand and how to get people motivated.
“People do what they’re motivated to do if they’re not motivated to do it, especially when it’s difficult things like exercising and exercising.”
The Billion Step Challenge aims to bring together thousands of people in local communities and encourage them to be more active.
“This is an excellent initiative that will bring people of all ages and abilities together before and during the General Assembly to work towards the same goal, and I’m excited to contribute to helping make it happen,” Johnson said.
“It’s an ambitious goal, but not impossible, so I encourage everyone to join my challenge and be a part of this fun and enjoyable event.”
Johnson is associated with athletics in another capacity. USA Track and Field Hall of Famers established the Michael Johnson Performance Center in Texas—a training facility for young and professional athletes in all sports.
There is also an emphasis on holistic development.
“We don’t do much direct training with athletes anymore. But we do a lot of consulting work with sports teams, Olympic federations, and education programs for coaches around the world,” Johnson said of the training center.
“We have a lot of athletes who end up in the NFL, NBA, MLB and the Olympics, but the most important thing for us is that even those athletes who can’t be pros are still active [in the discipline]. “
Updated: October 25, 2022 at 12:30 pm
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