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Enjoy the Rocky Path: Lessons from a life in sport
When I stepped away from competitive sport twelve years ago, I was at peace. I had lived a life that many dream of, travelling the world, pushing the limits of my body and mind, competing at the highest level. I had achieved many of the goals I had set as a young athlete, though not…
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Tradition and identity: where does Canoeing belong?
Yesterday, I found myself at the edge of the Thames in Henley-on-Thames, a curious observer at the Henley Royal Regatta, that gilded stalwart of the British summer season. First held in 1839 (a year after Queen Victoria ascended the throne), the event has become a postcard of old England: rowing boats slicing through the water,…
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Behind the medals: The relentless drive of Saúl Craviotto
On 11 March 2023, I filmed a short video that, to most, might have seemed unremarkable. A few seconds of an athlete catching his breath between training sets. Saúl Craviotto, now the most decorated Olympian in the history of Spanish sport, lying flat on his back beside the water, exhausted, silent, and utterly human. At…
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What watching Kipyegon taught me about one of my own sporting dreams
On Thursday evening, my children and I sat utterly transfixed, eyes glued to the screen as Faith Kipyegon toed the start line with history in her sights. She wasn’t just running a mile – she was chasing the elusive sub-four minute barrier. No woman had ever done it. The anticipation was electric. Nike had done…
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British food isn’t unsophisticated, it’s about standards
For this post, I’m stepping away from my usual focus on high performance sport to reflect on something a little closer to home – the food we eat, and the standards we set around it. It’s a sweltering Saturday afternoon and I’m having lunch in the garden with my kids. On the table: a meal…
EKAITZ SAIES 