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NILE WILSON ON DEALING WITH THE PRESSURE AND HIS LOVE OF GOLF

Imagine your life’s work boiling down to one moment, and one performance. The eyes of millions are aimed directly at you. Your life pivots around what you accomplish right here, right now. Do you panic or thrive?

Olympians are at the coal face of sporting pressure. In sports such as football, rugby, and cricket, one poor result can usually be rectified over the course of many performances throughout the year. But the Olympics is different. It’s a one-time thing, every four years. Second chances are rarely afforded.

One man who knows all about how to handle the unique circumstances of the Olympics is gymnast Nile Wilson. At 20 years old, he was aboard a plane to Brazil to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The lad from Leeds was propelled onto the world stage, surrounded by the most famous and elite athletes in the world. So how did he find it?
“It was a dream of mine to go to the Olympics,” explains Nile.
“As a young athlete, it was the pinnacle, especially in my sport of gymnastics. It’s arguably the greatest sporting event in the world and it’s spread out every four years, so the world is tuning in.
“It’s mixed emotions when you’re there. We’re there to do a job and it’s such a big opportunity, but you get into the flow of what you’re doing. You’re very aware that 10 million people are watching on TV and 30,000 people are in the arena. You focus on the job at hand but you know the next opportunity you’re going to get is in four years so you want to perform and stick to your process.
“It’s such a buildup and it isn’t a four-year build-up or a three-week build-up, you have been training for this moment all your life, so it was a dream come true and it was an incredible and special experience to be there.”

History-maker

Nile went on to make history, becoming the first Briton to win an Olympic medal in the horizontal bar, bringing home an unforgettable bronze medal.
He says: “I did some of my best performances at the Olympics and there wasn’t necessarily an expectation from me to get a medal because I was pleased to be on the plane.”
“To get the medal was the icing on the cake and the following six days after competing became something like a stag do. But you have all earned it at that point.”

Nile has a very different role at this year’s Olympics. He is not competing after retiring in 2021, so instead, he is commentating and lending his expert view to Discovery and Eurosport. How will he find this new experience?

“It’ll be an experience sitting back and relaxing watching them but I’ll be watching all the sports. It brings the nation together and everyone in the UK will support and get behind Team GB. It’s a very special environment.
“I’m expecting Paris to host a good Games and I’m sure it’ll be fantastic. I’ve been to Paris before and I love the city so I’m sure they’ll have it all ready and looking incredible. The competition will create moments because that’s what the Olympics does.”

With Nile now passing the torch to the next generation, he aims to inspire people to take up the sport. He has already set up gymnastics clubs in Leeds, Rotherham, Coventry, and Mansfield, creating great spaces to help increase participation in the sport.

The role of golf in Nile’s life

Aside from gymnastics, Nile has always been a keen golfer. Being previously involved in a sport where injuries are common, Nile says that playing golf allowed him to maintain his elite sports mindset without putting his body through the extreme rigours associated with other sports such as gymnastics.

“After retiring, golf has kept me on the straight and narrow and allowed me to be an athlete. It’s a game within a game a lot of the time and everyone can compete so it’s one of the greatest sports in the world.
“There’s longevity in golf. I did gymnastics and went through four surgeries, broke my neck, among other things. At my local golf club, I can play a match with my 56-year-old dad who plays off a four handicap and there are members who are in their 80s, so it’s a special sport in that sense.
“If I can, I’ll be playing it for the rest of my life. It’s accessible and you’re outside in the fresh air where you’re on the move.
“For competitive athletes or professional athletes, all we know is that environment and we apply ourselves 110% because you want to win.”

Competing at this year’s SGH Events Yorkshire Invitational

That will to win is certainly evident with Nile, and success is at the top of his mind as he prepares for the Yorkshire Invitational at Ilkley Golf Club on Tuesday, 27th August, and Wednesday, 28th August.

He says he cannot wait to get back on the greens for the event organised by SGH Events.
“I’m buzzing for the Yorkshire Invitational because it’s an unbelievable event.
“I’m a massive supporter of it and I’m a huge golf fanatic. I played terribly last year but it’s a great setup. The marquee and the players and people that SGH get involved are amazing. It’s a really special day and to be able to play on one of the greatest courses in Yorkshire is brilliant.
“Who better than SGH to organise it? They’re great.”

If you wish to attend the 2024 event, or if you are interested in playing or sponsoring in 2025, contact the SGH team.

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