ATHENS, Ga. — Mental preparation is a big part of success for Olympians competing in the 2022 Beijing Games.
Garrett Scantling, the former University of Georgia three-time SEC heptathlon champion and 2020 U.S. Olympic trial decathlon winner, knows all about mental focus.
Scantling narrowly missed qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“It's a lot of nerves. You have the self-doubt," Scantling said.
The top three decathletes at the Olympic trials would represent the U.S. as Scantling finished fourth.
“I took three years off from track, and then I came back because I wanted to make that Olympic team," Scantling said. "So training up to it, it was more so 'Garrett, this is your dream, you got to put in the work to get what you want.' It's that cut and dry. It was that simple.”
That determination paid off for the UGA All-American. He finished first at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials and 4th in the decathlon in Tokyo.
“There's a picture of me, standing at the hurdles, just kind of looking out at the race before I go. I can remember the only thing that was going through my head was execute, execute, execute," Scantling said.
He was a dual-threat at his high school in Jacksonville, Florida where he set three records in track and field and also played football. Scantling signed as a wide receiver with the Atlanta Falcons, but he got back to his roots after the NFL.
"Decathlon competitions used to give me a lot of nerves and a lot of just anxiety," Scantling said. "The thing that I did to overcome that was preparation. I prepared so well and so much so that I knew exactly what to expect for myself.”
The Olympian known for his physical and mental preparation encourages the winter athletes to trust themselves, breathe, and stay calm as they go for gold during the 2022 Beijing Games.
“Especially if there's no spectators, it's going to feel like something's missing, but at the same time, you have to remind yourself where you're at," Scantling said. "It’s the Olympics. It's the pinnacle of sport, and you've obviously done something to get yourself to this point."
Scantling said he took time off after the Olympics, and it didn't hit him he's an Olympian until about a month and a half after flying high in Tokyo.
“I got a tattoo on my arm of the of the Olympic rings. I think I was doing my hair or something, and I saw it in the mirror," Scantling said. "That’s when it hit me. I started screaming in the mirror. I was happy."
Scantling is training hard with high hopes for a medal at the 2024 Olympics.
“Next Olympics, I should be in the prime of my decathlon life," Scantling said. "At 30, 31 is when your mental catches up with your physical and they both are firing as much as they should be.“