'If I quit, it would have haunted me' - Hogan's 18-year journey to Olympic debut dream
In 2016, South African most successful discus thrower Victor Hogan tested positive for a banned substance called methylhexaneamine. He was banned from the sport for two years, which crushed his Olympic ambitions as the news broke less than a month before the global showpiece games in the Brazilian city of Rio De Janeiro. It also dealt a blow to the country's medal prospects in the discipline because Hogan was ranked sixth in the world then and had just thrown 67:62 meters at the ASA Track and Field Championships in Stellenbosch. He was also the reigning African champion after delivering a memorable performance on home soil in Durban.
Eight years later Hogan still gets emotional when he talks about the doping issue which stole his opportunity to obtain that elusive Olympic medal. "2016 was definitely the year I should have medaled," he told #TheTopRunner. His statement can be supported with the fact that both the silver medalist Piotr Malachowski (67:55) and the bronze medalist Daniel Jasinski (65:05) in Rio threw below the personal best of the man who had finished in fifth place at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.
"In 2016, I was definitely at the top of my game and I was in contention for the medal. I did two Diamond League circuit meetings where I placed third in Doha and then second in Rome. I got better and better and I thought the Olympics were going to happen," recalls the man who is coached by John Smith.
"I got tested in April during nationals and then in June I got the call that I had failed a test. At that time, It was too late to test the stuff I was using two months back. It messed everything up for me. It was the worst part of my life and probably the worst memory of my athletics career. Although it shouldn't have bothered me as I knew I didn't do anything wrong, it kept me down for like five years. All the negatives were unfair because I didn't know anything about it. I wanted to stop athletics, I wanted to quit. Then I spoke to my coach who convinced me not to give up or quit," he shared.
Now at 35, the 12-time SA Champion has become the country's first male discus thrower to compete at the Olympic Games in 20 years. National record holder (70.32) and Olympic bronze medalist Frantz Kruger and Hannes Hopley were the last throwers to grace the world's most celebrated sporting stage back at Athens 2004. The three-time African champion is delighted to have finally achieved the feat.
"I'm glad I didn't quit because I'm now going to the Olympics. It has been a dream to go to the Olympics. Not to just go, but to give it my best. If I quit, it would have haunted me," explains Hogan, who hails from Kleinmond, a small town in Western Cape. "It feels amazing. To be called an Olympian is every sportsman's dream. I’m very excited, and thankful for this opportunity. In the small town where I live in Kleinmond, I think I’m the first Olympian and that's a pretty big deal for us around here. The Olympics for me is the pinnacle. Whenever I talk to someone about athletics, or coach at an athletics clinic or school, the question comes up… did you go to the Olympics yet? So I always felt like, that's it, this is what people see as the big one - the Olympics."
Despite looking like it might be his final chance to represent the country at the Olympics, Hogan, who landed a lifetime best 66:14 in Hungary last year believes he still has more to give.
"Yes, I'm getting old but I'm also getting better at this stage, like a fine red wine. Malina Robert Michon of France threw a Personal best of 69m at the age of 44. I think my perseverance, and hunger to be my best has helped me a lot. It pushed me to work harder and harder, and kept on pushing me to reach my full potential and still does. I’m never satisfied. Together with my coach we put a plan together and do our best to execute it," he concluded.
Comments