PODCAST: Rare Interview with Al Oerter

The Canadian Athletics Coaching Center has a wealth of free coaching articles, including a great article I referenced on Valeri Borzov’s mental preparation before a race.

Click here for a complete listing of their downloadable audio files.

Another gem in their collection is a rare interview of Al Oerter, recorded about 4 months before his untimely death on October 2007.

Podcast summary:

• Guest speaker: Al Oerter, Olympic Athlete, Artist
• Interview Date: June 8, 2007
• Duration: 51:01 mins
• File Size: 47MB

Four times Olympic Champion, four times Olympic Record holder, four times World Record holder and five times American Record holder Al Oerter has done it all in athletics over a career that spanned well beyond 20 years, a combination of success and longevity virtually unparalleled in track and field history. His winning of four consecutive Olympic Games in the discus throw is considered one of the great achievements in Olympic history.

In this compelling interview the self-taught Olympian thrower discusses his early days of athletics, how he began throwing, the pros of being self-coached as well as what motivated him to keep competing for as long as he did. He also gives his views on his love for throwing the discus, his technique, today’s Olympic competition and his work as an artist that drives him these days. This interview is loaded with history, insight and anecdotes from one of the greatest competitors our sport has ever seen.