Nova Scotian Olympian shares lessons she learned competing in Paris

Sarah Mitton has been described as “the pride of Nova Scotia.” Even though the champion shot put athlete didn’t get the result she wanted at the Paris Olympics, she isn’t going to let one moment define her.

“If you let one failure that you’ve worked so hard for keep you back, it’s just going to stop you from all the things that are yet to come in the future,” Mitton said in an interview with CTV Morning Live on Wednesday.

Mitton had the best qualifying distance heading into the Olympic finals but weather conditions caused problems for a lot of athletes on Friday, when Mitton’s best throw of 17.48 metres wasn’t good enough to medal. Mitton’s last throw appeared to clear 20 metres, but she fouled out when she slipped and stepped out of the ring.

Mitton said she’s learned to deal with the weather in her training but the pressure is high during the Olympics and the rain was a surprise that “came out of nowhere.”

“I went in with everything to lose and that’s exactly what I feel like happened,” Mitton said after the event. She said the conditions may have gotten to her mentally.

“I took it a little bit too easy on my first two throws which just left me with one left,” Mitton said, adding she was grateful for the big “comeback” throw even if she did foul out. “The margins are just so small when you come to the games.”

Mitton said it was a huge learning curve, but she plans to return better. “I’m definitely going to be practicing in the rain a lot more.”

Mitton said Olympians are hard on themselves because they work so hard for their moments. She trained for 15 years for three throws. Despite her disappointment, she said the support she received was incredible.

“People from the community that I don’t even know, saying how I’ve impacted their children,” Mitton said. “That’s just so special.”

Mitton said she is grateful for being able to share the Olympics with her mom, who gave her a big hug after her leading qualifying throw.

“There’s a lot more to come,” Mitton said. “The lessons that I learned in Paris will sit deeply with me for the next four years.”

Mitton already has her sights set on the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. She will approach them armed with the biggest lesson she learned in Paris.

“Sometimes you work really hard for something and it doesn’t work out the first time, but it doesn’t mean that you should stop chasing that goal.”

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