“There’s No Mistakes”: Matthew Hudson-Smith Goes Candid on the Olympic Pressure an Athlete Goes Through in a Podcast With Justin Gatlin

Both track and field fans and athletes alike are excited about the upcoming Paris Olympics, as the 2024 outdoor season approaches. However, as much as there is excitement around the event, the hype creates a pressurized environment for those participating. With his experience in the professional track world, British athlete Matthew Hudson-Smith, recently recalled an Olympic moment in a podcast with Justin Gatlin, on their YouTube channel ‘Ready Set Go.’

The athlete travels down memory lane, reminiscing on the 2016 Olympic finals. During that time, Hudson-Smith dominated the H6 and SF3 events, qualifying for the finals in Brazil. It was a proud moment for the athlete but he also felt boastful about it.

He recalls how he came from an injury and achieved the feats making him feel too proud of himself. However, this sense of superiority hit him hard when he could not perform like he thought he would. In the podcast, he expresses his views on the incident:

“So technically, it’s my second year in 400, so I was like, ‘Oh yeah, this is easy.’ I mean, I made the Olympic finals. I walked in there, thinking I’m going to win this…Boy, was I wrong.”

Hudson-Smith is a 400-meter athlete and fierce competitor. However, those were the days of his early track career, and he was unknown to the challenges of the Olympics. The British athlete did make it to the finals but wasn’t successful enough to clock in a medal-worthy time.

Upon hearing this information from Hudson-Smith, Gatlin burst into a torrent of laughter. In amusement, the four-time world champion also remarks on how the athlete evolves in this track journey.

The 29-year-old acknowledges that the pressure he felt at the Olympics was entirely different, compared to other events. He has participated in many track meets in his esteemed career, but nothing has come close to the Olympics. He then shares his thoughts on it:

“I mean this in the most respectful way: a European core room is completely different to a World core room, and a World core room is completely different to an Olympic core room. Because the Olympics comes four years, where as Worlds or Europeans comes every two years. So, you have that kind of, I wouldn’t say you’re relaxed, but you have that kind of in the back of your mind, like, okay, if it doesn’t go right, I got another two years, Olympics nah, you can’t, there’s no mistakes.”

The athlete expresses how low the margin of error is in such high-level track competitions. Gatlin, himself a retired athlete, acknowledges the statement of the British track sensation.

Whether it is the Olympics or World Championships, track stars from around the globe are always on the quest for gold. While some athletes aim for WRs, this year, many anticipate the records to be shattered by athletes from Team USA.

Justin Gatlin hopeful of the United States 4×100-meter relay team

This 2024 season brings a plethora of outdoor season events. Some of these events will host 4×100-meter relay races, which has piqued the interest of four-time world champion Justin Gatlin. In the podcast, he states that he feels optimistic about a certain team, which can break the current 4×100-meter WR.

The dream team of the retired athlete has four big names: Noah Lyles, Fred Kerley, Christian Coleman, and Erriyon Knighton, who make up this relay squad. According to Gatlin, this team can shatter the world record.  It won’t be an easy task, though, as he claims that the track stars need to clock in times all below a 10-second mark.

The American athletes would also be under tremendous pressure due to the season’s excitement. However, if they can push themselves through this difficulty, shatter world records, and showcase incredible performances, they will win fans’ hearts.