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Furthermore, we discuss • His darkest moment 00:00:31 • His best moment 00:09:23 • What advice would he give his younger self 00:12:09 • What are the habits that make him a successful athlete or person 00:19:09 • His morning routine 00:20:43 • How to prepare for important moments 00:22:12 • How to overcome setbacks 00:27:32 • His role model 00:30:56 • The best advice he has received and who gave it to him 00:33:11 • How a typical training day look like 00:37:09 • Where can people find him 00:40:06 • Who he nominates to be interviewed 00:41:52 Summary of the interview Rob has been an Olympic finalist in 2008 and has participated in the BMX Supercross competitions. He was a World Champion challenger at the tender age of 16 in BMX Supercross. Despite being faced with the challenge of his mother falling ill during his preparation for the Olympics, Rob persevered and although he didn’t received the medal he had dreamed of, he was victorious in securing a spot in the top 5 BMX riders in the world for the 2011 Olympic Games. Having suffered many injuries as most athletes do, shortly after his wonderful finish in the Olympic Games Rob decided to retire from his career as an athlete but now offering his talents, knowledge and experiences as the coach of the Dutch National Junior BMX team. Rob recalls the ease with which his dedication sprung when he was a young athlete. Focus and commitment and meticulous preparation are strong values for him and he translates these values in his coaching styles to his athletes, a task that is not without challenges. Believing in one’s self is crucial to one’s successes in sports and in life and Rob concedes that it was the belief he had developed in himself that made him a conqueror of the negative circumstances within and without that resulted in his ability to give his best at the Olympics. Although it is an unpopular belief of many, Rob believes success also finds its traction in failure. He teaches his athletes that the fear of failure may not be a useful tool in achieving their goals and so he encourages the acceptance of failure so that one can use it to strive for a better performance. From his experience as an athlete, he stands firm in the belief that one’s external environment is also a factor in athletic performance. Constant motivation and comradery are elements he purports in his coaching style. #bmx #bmxsupercross #olympics2008