Is it really necessary to start a young age?

I am 15 years old now, and am interested in joining the Track and Field team to make it to my country - Singapore's national team and to aim for Olympics.However, many of the Olympics sprinters or runners starts at an early age of 7 - 9 years old, and started to hold records or competition at 13 years old. I wonder if it's too late for me now?And, are there any Olympic Track and Field sprinter or runner that also starts at 15 years old?Please help me, this is really confusing me. :

Comments

  • if you have a real natural ability then you might still be ok...........I was hearing about one of our discus throwers who hadn't picked up a discus until 2 years ago.........

    but if its running then a natural ability usually shows earlier as you usually always totally outrun your friends and schoolmates and get noticed by coaches in schools or inter school competitions......

    but there are always exceptions.........especially in the longer distances........when the athlete was not up with the best at the shorter distances but them blossomd later on at the longer distances..........

    how much do you run now

  • I run alot now, and plays Basketball.
    I received many comments about my running speed, like alot of my friends or opponents says that my speed is fast. I takes part in my school's cross country, and got the 13th place for last year and 33th place for this year.
    If possible, I would like to be a sprinter.

    -Elladrose 

  • Well, being really honest Elladrose, to give you my perception of realism, I think the answer is 'yes, for a sprinter, you do need to start young'.  I suppose there will be exceptions - so an internet forum isn't the right place to get definitive advice (here people can only talk about generalities).  I'd encourage you to go a track & field club and speak with them.

    I expect that you've run many sprint races as a younger child... and I'd expect that an Olympic standard athlete would be winning these by long distances, and that their talent would have been picked up well before the age of 15.  Additionally, if you're not finishing in the top 1 or 2 of your school cross-country races, I guess that you're highly unlikely to reach national standard at longer distances either.

    As I say...  on a forum like this, you can't  take answers as "final answers".  Go to a club...  have a chat... enjoy your running and if you find that you're able to improve immeasurably then keep going to see how far you can get.

  • i think for running natural ability shows early ........and you would be winning the schools cross country.......many other sports have more variables such as technique which can change

  • We had a lass at the school I teach at, who is a really good sprinter - through to the final in the national schools. Compared to her peers at sports day it was like watching a member of a different species! She is amazing, but tbh I would be really surprised if she managed to make it to the Olympics.

  • I guess it's hopeless afterall, there're no track clubs in my country except for the Singapore American School and Singapore Sports School that obviously I can't go to. :

  • Elladrose New,

    hey man if you really desparate to join this kind of sports then you should definately try for sprinter. You mentioned on your post that, last year you got 13th place and this year you got 33th place on that compitition. I think everone should do something for his or her country. But this will be very respectable for you if u complete your goal. It is true that, if anyone interest to join national team and to aim for Olympics then he should try on his younger age. So don't loss any more time go and star your preparation for national team and Olympics. Do something good for your country.

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