Monday Morning Motivation: Four Ninety Three (Vanessa Low)

“Four Ninety Three” tells the story of German Paralympic athlete Vanessa Low, her coach Roderick Green and their mutual journey to the Paralympic Games 2016 in Rio.

After the London games in 2012 and no results, Vanessa was questioning her place in her sport. She was not progressing and was losing her motivation to continue.

On a trip to Oklahoma to visit a friend, she met track and field coach Roderick Green. Roderick himself was a Paralympic athlete and now coached all different types of athletes, including his wife Katrin. On a night out, Roderick told Vanessa that he could train her to win gold at the next games. All she needed was the willpower to sustain his extensive training and a new mindset. Vanessa then made the bet that she would get a tattoo of his signature, should she win gold in Rio.

The training began and she moved to Oklahoma to put 100 per cent into her craft. Over the months Roderick was able to gain her trust and not only train her physically but also mentally to the point where she was in the right spot to compete in the Rio games. But it did not come easily. Roderick’s training was harder than she could have ever imagined and there were times when she hit rock bottom.

When the day came for her to compete, she was ready. Roderick had prepared her for everything that she now stood before. She was confident and ready to bear whatever the outcome may be.

By then everyone expected her to dominate the women’s long jump. And that is exactly what she did, jumping a distance of 4.93 meters, breaking the world record and winning her gold medal.
But the women’s 100m run was the discipline where the outcome was more uncertain and a bigger challenge.
However, Vanessa ran 15.17 seconds winning her a silver medal and breaking her personal best.

After the games in Rio, she made the choice to move to Australia with her partner Scott who is also a Paralympic athlete.