Posted: June 7, 2005

Athletics: John Godina Teleconference Excerpts

USA Track & Field on Tuesday hosted a national teleconference with three-time world shot put champion John Godina, who will compete on Saturday in the Reebok Grand Prix, the fifth stop of USATF's Visa Championship Series.

One of the greatest shot putters in history, Godina in 2005 has returned to the form and consistency that made him a three-time world outdoor champion, two-time Olympic medalist, 2-time Jesse Owens Award winner and four-time world #1 ranked thrower between 1995 and 2001. At the age of 32, Godina in February won the 2005 USA Indoor title in dramatic fashion, posting a world-leading indoor throw of 21.83m/71-7.5 inches and winning the Visa Championship - and its commensurate $25,000 bonus - in the process. Godina celebrated his 33rd birthday on May 31, but he hasn't shown any sign of slowing down. He opened his outdoor season in grand style, winning the adidas Track Classic on May 22 with a personal-best and 2005 world-leading throw of 22.20 meters/72 feet 10 inches, his first PR since 1999. The performance also put him in the lead for the outdoor Visa Championship. One week later, he racked up his second win of the Outdoor Visa Championship Series, winning the Payton Jordan U.S. Open with a toss of 21.93 meters/71 feet, 11.50 - the #2 mark in the world this year.

Below are excerpts from Tuesday's teleconference.

Q: Please bring us op to date on your season.

A: We've done some good technical work. I knew that when I moved here [to Mesa, Ariz.], it was a crapshoot to see if it would work out well. It sure has. Dave Dumble, he's incredible and he's made everything work. I'm kind of lucky that I fell into such a good situation. Everything's going really well. I just hope to continue it all the way through the year and stay healthy. I made it through an illness about a week ago.

Q: It's been a big year for you - what did you do with your $25,000 prize as the Visa Champion?

A: We're just saving it. My wife is opening up her business now, and hopefully everything is going to go well with that. We're going to use the money to get that started. The one thing we share is frugality.

Q. You're also tied for the lead in the Race for the Outdoor Visa Championship, with Olympic 100m gold medalist Justin Gatlin.

A: Apparently he didn't get the memo that the shot putters are in charge here. I'm going to throw about 74 feet, so he'll have to drop about a 9.60 to beat me.

Q: Talk about the reasons for leaving L.A. and moving to Mesa.

A: Kendra has been a Pilates instructor out of the house for 2 years. Now she's got a client base to move it into a building. We're buying a building for her, she's really excited. Everything's working out for her here, and everything's working out for me here. I just needed a break, needed something different. I had been in L.A. a long time. We picked out places we might want to live based on the weather and how it would be for training. Once we decided to move here, we found out all the things that made it really good for us. The fact that my former teammate is here, Dave Dumble, at Arizona State, and I have four or five places to train. Everything is easier here.

Q: Do you wish you had moved earlier?

A: I don't know. Ask me when I'm retired. I'll give you an assessment in 8 or 9 years.

Q: Do you do Pilates and take her classes?

A: Yes, but she does 1-on-1 training with the equipment. She does one class, just to drum up business for her home business. I'm not a class guy. I need individual attention.

Q: What do you think about Adam Nelson selling himself on Ebay? What does it say about shot putters' ability to make a living?

A: I don't know his situation, I don't know what his contract situations were. I think there is a definite slant towards the track and away from the field in terms of sponsorship. But in terms of field events, I think we're the best offer. There are a lot of really great shot putters, so it's difficult.

Q: What did you think when he showed up at the Payton Jordan U.S. Open, wearing his new sponsor T-shirt?

A: He's making a living!

Q: You mention the 74-foot mark. What will it take for you to reach it?

A: Just being relaxed and being rested and just doing what I've been doing all year. I've hit 74 this year, just not in an actual meet.

Q: What kept you away from that #1 world ranking since 2001?

A: Injuries that had altered my technique. I couldn't seem to get back to where I was in the earlier years, just because of injury. Now I'm healthy and we really worked to getting back to basics. It feels even easier than I was young. When I was 23 and won my first world title, it didn't feel as easy as it does now. I'm very comfortable with that.

Q: How has age changed you as a thrower?

A: You can't recover as well, but you actually know what you're doing when you're throwing. When you're young, you're just really excited and spinning around.

Q: In a non-Olympic year, how do you keep your motivation?

A: That's a real good question. I guess if I have to think about where my motivation is coming from, I'm probably not motivated. I don't think I've lost any of that since I was young. I still enjoy the ego trip of being really good. Especially when you're at the level when you feel you're untouchable, which some days you do, in sports. In other endeavors, you don't feel that as often. Every year, there's a new challenge. Now it's 'OK, how long can you stay on top? You've been there a long time, let's see how long you can make it last.' I know there are people in this event who are waiting to see me retire, because it will make things a little easier for them. But I'd like to be a thorn in their side for as long as possible.

Q: Talk more about the financial side of being in the sport this long, and about your own situation.

A: I realize that there others in the sport who are in a precarious financial position, and I'm really lucky that I made a lot of money early and I've been able to maintain that. I'm very comfortable. There's no year-to-year scrounging for rent or anything like that. I think that's contributed to my longevity in the sport, too. You know you can take the chances to try to improve that other people don't have the luxury to, because they have to perform now. I'm very happy with my sponsor. A lot of it, too, was good guidance from my original coach [UCLA's Art Venegas], who said to think of it as a career and not as a season or as an Olympics. It's a long-term deal, and plan it as such. I don't know why I got so lucky to have such good relationships with the sponsors. I think a lot of it, you can point to my performance. You have to go out and earn it. You have to prove yourself and earn world championships and Olympic medals, and then maybe you'll get a contract. You can see the situation Adam [Nelson] was in, even after winning so many medals. It's tough.

Q: What about the fact that you're 33? Do you feel that, physically?

A: I feel it in training where you can't load yourself up like when you were younger. Luckily I've caught onto it. Injury-wise, I think I'm healthier because I've learned how far to push. When I was younger I would push too hard and get hurt worse.

Q: Are you as strong as you were when you were younger?

A: I've had to omit some lifts that are the real tests of that. But right now I would say I'm as strong as I've ever been.

Q: What is your wife's name and when did you get married?

A: We got married in October 2004. Her name is Kendra Jordan. I made her keep her name. Kendra Godina - it's hard to get people to come to Pilates with a name like that. Kendra Jordan flows better.