Why I
am Choosing America over New Zealand
Stay focused on your dreams and
stand up for your rights!
by Daniel Clout,
DanielClout.net
This years Triathlon World
championships are excitingly being held in the beautiful serenity of
Queenstown, New Zealand. Anyone who is making the enormous trip from
America, Europe or elsewhere to this isolated county for these champs will
definitely reap the benefits for this once in a lifetime experience. I am
sure the atmosphere will be incredibly phenomenal and provide to be the most
dynamic and well-organized Triathlon World champs ever. I am in my final
preparation where it will be my third consecutive Tri worlds. However there
is nothing orthodox about this race for me. It’s going to be a surreal
experience for I am going down there as a Team USA member while breaking my
customs of racing for New Zealand. I am revolutionizing myself into a
new athlete and conspicuously standing up for what I believe in. Many
people are stunned and astonished beyond their comprehension why I would want to
switch alliances but also how it is possible for me to compete for the
United States when I am a Kiwi.
To start from the beginning,
I actually never thought beyond my wildest dreams I would be competing for
the United States. It has arisen from building an infatuation of pure
passion for the country that has welcomed me with arms wide open, believed
in me and whose support has been phenomenal over the last two years. I have
always been extremely proud racing in the Black and White with the Silver Fern.
However as of last year I lost heart to race for New Zealand after
constantly and emphatically having to fight against the corruption and
dictatorship of Triathlon New Zealand. Triathlon is an individual sport so I
expect to be treated like an individual with respect and compassion like USA
Triathlon has shown me.
To make my first New Zealand
team, I especially remember the gut retching effort I put forth where I
pushed through more than a few pain barriers. I may have been a bit
delirious from talking to myself during that race, saying out loud
“represent New Zealand in France” many times over to motivate myself towards
victory for I wanted really bad to make that team. I was even more ecstatic
to follow this up with a medal in France. I was pumped with so much
enthusiasm for the sport, my confidence in my ability and potential soared
and I really started thinking BIG, remembering my
dreams as a kid to reach the Olympics and become a world-class Ironman.
However my international
achievement did little to help me in my quest of getting support in my home
country. This made me determined to head abroad to Australia where the
whole plan was to get recognized as an Elite athlete and to be given support
to achieve my sporting aspirations in life. Many people tried to talk sense
into me, telling me it just was not logical by taking a big chance in
going over there spontaneously, with nothing more than a few dollars in my
pocket. However something of great power was telling me what to do and with
absolute certainly I knew in my heart that I had to go. .
I absolutely loved the
lifestyle of living on the Gold Coast of Australia. I felt like I
was in paradise
with training hard everyday at the Surfers Paradise Triathlon club with the
wonderful beaches and nice warm weather. I thought I made the right move for
my athletic future but struggled intensely with the demands of life by being
independent. Out of home I had to pay rent for my first time, feed
myself and pay coaching fees so I had to miss out on the luxury of racing and
undermine the whole point of getting noticed for my ability. I practically
starved for the entire time I was there so I could train with immense
devotion with treating each group training session like a race. I searched
frantically for work but found very little so at one stage I was homeless
and the advice given by my fellow triathlon buddies was “you gave it a good
shot mate, time to give up and go back to New Zealand”. This only infuriated
me and made me more determined for I felt it was too soon for I am not a
quitter or underachiever but mainly because I hadn’t achieved anything
substantial. I knew there had to be something of great purpose and
meaningful waiting.
The day I least expected a
break through has turned my life around! While trying to sell a camera
on the busiest strip of Surfers Paradise to gather enough money for rent due
that day a miracle happened. I met an American on holiday who believed in me
instantly and is assisting in making my dreams come true by making sure I
can focus solely on my training and racing. It definitely is an out of this
world opportunity with the biggest lottery of my life. Although it wasn’t
just excellent fortune or a coincidence as much as it seems, I feel it was
destined to make a break through with putting myself on the line and taking
big risks in my life. By following my heart I was meant to go to Oz and
since found my footing on American soil where everything has totally jelled
and I am training and racing towards great victory for every nation that
believes in me.
There is a point I am
actually making here where it is applicable to you. That if you are
really passionate about something in life and you put your heart on your
sleeve for that particular thing, success will eventually come. Plus any
adversity can be overcome with a positive outcome!
I hope my
story and journey not only inspires you but also opens your eyes to the
possibilities in life for your destiny created by following your heart and
believing in yourself. I think no one says it better than Henry Ford “
Whether you believe you can do a thing or believe you can’t you are right.”
Well, it’s time for you to
seriously contemplate your new years’ revolutions. My advice to you is
firstly you need to create the true inner desire to what you want to
achieve. Only then by keeping the faith and belief with holding a clear
definite vision in your consciousness with seeing it work out step by step,
without ever doubting yourself will you accomplish it.
In departing for Queenstown
now I look forward to the challenge once again racing with the best Triathletes
in the world. I am simply aiming to do my best, to stay relaxed and
have a good time. Ultimately Gold would be the cherry on top, however I will
relish the opportunity and the freedom of racing for USA with accepting and
being satisfied whether I get on the podium or not. For there is only so
much talent and a strong will can do, the rest I feel will lie in the hands
of God. Definitely paradoxical racing in stars and stripes on my homeland of
New Zealand but I believe is a great twist to life that will work out for
the best.
Stay focused on your dreams and
stand up for your rights!
Daniel Clout (Kiwi fella who
speaks his mind)
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