“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” – Vince Lombardi

Who cares about winning medals?

With the SA Olive Awards on the horizon and with many of our producers hard at work creating the very best local extra virgin olive oil, we asked Geraldine Pillay-Viret about what it means to win medals.  Geraldine is a legendary South African sprinter and two-time Olympian – and she’s also one of SA Olive’s long standing ambassadors.

“I was awarded my very first medal, a silver, at my primary school’s Inter-house Athletics competition for the girls’ u/7 race. I remember it as if it was yesterday, standing on the podium that day. I remember the feeling of immense pride, accomplishment and sheer passion for the sport which gave me an opportunity to travel the world extensively and meet incredible people along the way.”

“Fast forward a few years later and many kilometres travelled, shedding blood, sweat and tears in-between, I stood on the podium in Melbourne, Australia during the Commonwealth Games in 2006 and I received a silver medal in the 100m and, later in the same competition, I was awarded a bronze medal in the 200m. This took me right back to that moment I first stood on a podium, and I was overwhelmed with beautiful memories of that day.”

“Although the circumstances and the aesthetic of the two medal ceremonies are very different, one thing remains the same…the meaning and what the medals represent.”

“When my teacher handed the medal to me in Grade 1, I was filled with pride and joy, I could not wait to share the news with family and friends. When my medal at the Commonwealth Games was handed to me by one of the world’s greatest sprinters, Frank Fredericks, I was filled with the same emotions.”

“Winning a medal regardless of its colour, or where in your career you are, and no matter how old you are … that very recognition is wonderful in itself but also it is a tangible reward for all the dedication and all the sacrifices that were needed to get you to that moment of complete joy and pride.   And the additional joy is that you can share and celebrate the success with others.  You simply can’t put a price on that.”