With mindset change, we too can be winners

THE EDITOR: TT obviously did not get the memo as the television announcer spoke in excited tones about “the world’s seventh fastest man” impressively leading the pack for “the mighty United States” in the last leg of the IAAF 2017 men’s 4x400M relay final in London.

That may have been the best thing that happened to Jareem Richards, Jarrin Solomon, Lalonde Gordon and Machel Cedenio as they registered a resounding victory in the race.

In doing so, our fantastic four shifted the paradigm on the possible future of an event which the US had won on the six previous occasions. That’s how game-changing this victory can be viewed.

Here’s an example of how those Trini warriors could plant the seed of victory in a fertile collective mind consumed in a burning desire. Fortify this with right preparation and faith in the highest forces to fulfil a vision larger than the individual’s personal interests and you have the winning formula to bring home gold.

This is the stuff which giants are made of. It’s what becomes available when we resolve to dig deep in the quest for something we’re willing to die for.

No wonder the same announcer soon recognised that Gordon was “running the race of his life” as he revved up into super mental/spiritual gear in the last 50 metres. That’s when he thundered past the USA’s “wunderkind last-leg runner” Fred Kerley, who “seemed to have the gold locked on entering the final straight.”

At a critical point in the third leg, Cedenio seemed to have transformed himself into another way of being to access the power to dramatically slash the distance behind his US runner before handing over to Gordon. Richards and Solomon put up the fight of their lives to keep victory in the team’s line of sight.

The achievement by these brothers tells us that, as a people, we too can be winners — for ourselves, our families, our communities, our country. We can change our collective mindset. We can learn something about the love which these four sons of the soil expressed in running their hearts to the brink to bring our nation to the fore. But we must be willing to make the necessary sacrifice, to pay the price.

How many of us remember, as one report stated, that Gordon was part of the TT quartet for the past five years until “he found the will to take over the lead.”

We too — all of us — can find the will to work and wait in patience, confident that our noble efforts will pay off. Then we’ll be able to speak out as our sons did in London in the aftermath of their brilliant victory which we all embrace as ours.

Come on TT people, it’s time to change your mind.

RUDOLPH WILLIAMS

St James