ON weekends, my family and I usually spend our time watching a movie at home, among other activities. This week, it was a special session because we picked an extraordinary movie called Eddie The Eagle. It was based on a true story about Eddie Edwards, a British skier who in 1988 became the first competitor since 1929 to represent Great Britain in the Calgary Winter Olympic ski jumping.
He came last in the 70m and 90m events.
Yes, you read it right — last. Yet, he became an overnight celebrity in Calgary. Eddie came out of nowhere to steal the audience’s heart. And if you knew about his background, you’d also love him too.
Physically, he was a far cry from other ski jumpers. According to a Wikipedia page about him, Eddie “was disadvantaged by his weight — 82kg, more than 9kg heavier than the next heaviest competitor— and by his lack of financial support for training; he was totally self-funded. Another problem was that he was very near-sighted and wore thick glasses under his goggles, which would mist up at high altitudes.”
In short, he was a disaster in the making. To make matters worse, ski jumping wasn’t even his sport of choice. However, his unbelievable desire to compete in the Olympics drove him to do the impossible. He went to Germany with just a few dollars in his pocket to learn the sport. He noted that by being the one and only ski jumper in Britain at that time, his chance of representing his country was greatly boosted.
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
Once in Germany, he began to face reality. He was already in his twenties when he started while all other jumpers began training as early as 6 years old. He had no proper gear, and most significantly, no coach. Armed only with steely determination and a powerful vision of competing in the Olympics, he began to train himself.
Needless to say, he almost got himself killed. In fact, he was hospitalised a few times before a retired American jumper reluctantly agreed to coach him, after much persuasion and coercion.
Miracles do happen when you believe. Within a year of training, Eddie made significant progress despite all odds. Money was tight; he had to work in a mental hospital in return for free meals and accommodation. His gear was courtesy of the lost and found department at a ski resort. Amazingly, he qualified (just barely) to represent Britain despite the committees’ best efforts to disqualify him. With that, he was on his way to Calgary.
And, as they say, the rest is history. In his first jump, he finished last and with embarrassingly poor results. But it didn’t matter to him because he still broke UK’s low record. The country had not had any ski jumper competing in any international event since 1929, hence the record was a sitting duck and far from the world’s high standards. Eddie celebrated like he had won the gold medal and that attracted the global media. He became an instant celebrity with his unorthodox ways.
Audiences loved him because he embodied the true spirit of the Olympics. He said: “The important thing is not to win, but to take part.” He danced like an eagle, thus earning him his nickname.
The lessons extend far beyond the Olympics. If you have a strong vision and willing to put in the effort, nothing can stop you from achieving your dreams. You have to see the movie for yourself to experience the extraordinary feeling that only Eddie “the Eagle” Edwards can evoke. And yes, don’t forget to rope in the rest of the family.
Zaid Mohamad coaches and trains parents to experience happier homes and more productive workplaces. Reach him at zaid@smartparents.com.my