In this exclusive interview with Canada Life, Decathlete Damian Warner discusses finding focus, representing Canada on the world stage, and the value of advice.
Damian introduces the Decathlon event and explains how he got started in track and field.
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Brought to you by Canada Life
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Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
My name is Damian Warner. I’m a Canadian decathlete and Olympic gold medalist.
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What is the decathlon?
Damian Warner
The decathlon is a track and field event that takes place over two days. On the first day you have the hundred metres, the long jump, the shot put, the high jump, and the four-hundred metres. And on the second day you have the hurdles, the discus, the pole vault, the javelin, and the fifteen-hundred metres.
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How did you get started in the sport?
Damian Warner
Certain people in my life, teachers at Montcalm Secondary School where I went, and my coaches, they saw something in me. You have to dedicate yourself to it – you have to learn as much as you can. I wanted to quit one day and my coach is like, “you’re not going to quit – you’re going to do this workout because one day you’re going to be a champion.”
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What inspires you when you’re on the track?
Damian Warner
Everything that I’m doing I’m trying to be the best role model that I can be so that I can show other people that were in a similar position to me when I was growing up that if there is something you want to achieve then go out there and do it.
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Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
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THE TEN
Brought to you by Canada Life
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Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
My name is Damian Warner. I’m a Canadian decathlete and Olympic gold medalist.
-- SUPER --
What is the decathlon?
Damian Warner
The decathlon is a track and field event that takes place over two days. On the first day you have the hundred metres, the long jump, the shot put, the high jump, and the four-hundred metres. And on the second day you have the hurdles, the discus, the pole vault, the javelin, and the fifteen-hundred metres.
-- SUPER --
How did you get started in the sport?
Damian Warner
Certain people in my life, teachers at Montcalm Secondary School where I went, and my coaches, they saw something in me. You have to dedicate yourself to it – you have to learn as much as you can. I wanted to quit one day and my coach is like, “you’re not going to quit – you’re going to do this workout because one day you’re going to be a champion.”
-- SUPER --
What inspires you when you’re on the track?
Damian Warner
Everything that I’m doing I’m trying to be the best role model that I can be so that I can show other people that were in a similar position to me when I was growing up that if there is something you want to achieve then go out there and do it.
-- SUPER --
Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
Damian talks about racing the 100m, and how important it is to stay agile on the path to success.
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Staying agile
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Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
The hundred metres is always like one of those things that’s like joyful. So you really have to just focus on the now – the hundred metres only.
Damian Warner
I think one of the more important aspects for a decathlete is to be able to adapt with the circumstances. To be agile – to kind of go with the flow.
Damian Warner
There’s the mental side of the decathlon, and there’s the physical side of the decathlon. Whoever deals with the elements the best over those two days also wins the decathlon.
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Stay agile on the path to your goals.
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Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
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THE TEN
Brought to you by Canada Life
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Staying agile
-- SUPER --
Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
The hundred metres is always like one of those things that’s like joyful. So you really have to just focus on the now – the hundred metres only.
Damian Warner
I think one of the more important aspects for a decathlete is to be able to adapt with the circumstances. To be agile – to kind of go with the flow.
Damian Warner
There’s the mental side of the decathlon, and there’s the physical side of the decathlon. Whoever deals with the elements the best over those two days also wins the decathlon.
-- SUPER --
Stay agile on the path to your goals.
-- SUPER --
Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
Damian reveals the secret to jumping hurdles, and how training plays a part in overcoming obstacles on the track and beyond.
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THE TEN
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Overcoming challenges
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Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
When you look at these events that can be very daunting. A lot of times the high jump bar is over your head. A lot of times when I’m looking at it I’m like, “there’s no way I can clear this.”
Damian Warner
When you look at the hurdles there’s ten hurdles in a row and they’re forty-two inches high. And you’re like, “this seems impossible.” Then you always have to think back to your training.
Damian Warner
I prepare for this every single day so that when they come up they don’t seem daunting. They seem like, “ok, this is exactly what I set out for.”
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Navigate all life’s hurdles.
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Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
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THE TEN
Brought to you by Canada Life
-- SUPER --
Overcoming challenges
-- SUPER --
Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
When you look at these events that can be very daunting. A lot of times the high jump bar is over your head. A lot of times when I’m looking at it I’m like, “there’s no way I can clear this.”
Damian Warner
When you look at the hurdles there’s ten hurdles in a row and they’re forty-two inches high. And you’re like, “this seems impossible.” Then you always have to think back to your training.
Damian Warner
I prepare for this every single day so that when they come up they don’t seem daunting. They seem like, “ok, this is exactly what I set out for.”
-- SUPER --
Navigate all life’s hurdles.
-- SUPER --
Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
Watch Damian discuss how finding focus helps him reach his potential, especially when it comes to the javelin.
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THE TEN
Brought to you by Canada Life
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Finding your focus
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Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
Focus is probably one of the most important aspects of the decathlon. So when I’m doing the javelin I have an extreme focus on the point of the javelin. Breaking it down into these little ‘areas’ allows you to cut out all the noise that’s on the outside.
Damian Warner
Let’s say in the shot put I faulted my first two throws. How am I going to deal with that pressure? What kind of routine am I going to go through to put myself in the best position to get the result that I need?
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Focusing on your goals will get you further.
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Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
-- SUPER --
THE TEN
Brought to you by Canada Life
-- SUPER --
Finding your focus
-- SUPER --
Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
Focus is probably one of the most important aspects of the decathlon. So when I’m doing the javelin I have an extreme focus on the point of the javelin. Breaking it down into these little ‘areas’ allows you to cut out all the noise that’s on the outside.
Damian Warner
Let’s say in the shot put I faulted my first two throws. How am I going to deal with that pressure? What kind of routine am I going to go through to put myself in the best position to get the result that I need?
-- SUPER --
Focusing on your goals will get you further.
-- SUPER --
Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
Damian talks about the power of support, and how his network has helped him reach his goals.
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THE TEN
Brought to you by Canada Life
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Support is everything
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Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
So many people along the way, family, friends, coaches, teachers at my school, helped me get to where I am. But then when I was in high school my coaches Gar Leyshon and Dennis Nielsen were like two pillars that saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.
Damian Warner
Nothing great happens alone. That’s one of the big things that I believe. And that’s one of the big things that my team is built on. We need everybody in order for this to work – to show all these people that like we’re in this together.
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Get the support you need to reach your goals.
-- SUPER --
Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
-- SUPER --
THE TEN
Brought to you by Canada Life
-- SUPER --
Support is everything
-- SUPER --
Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
So many people along the way, family, friends, coaches, teachers at my school, helped me get to where I am. But then when I was in high school my coaches Gar Leyshon and Dennis Nielsen were like two pillars that saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.
Damian Warner
Nothing great happens alone. That’s one of the big things that I believe. And that’s one of the big things that my team is built on. We need everybody in order for this to work – to show all these people that like we’re in this together.
-- SUPER --
Get the support you need to reach your goals.
-- SUPER --
Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
Damian talks about going the distance, and how it feels to represent Canada on the world stage.
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THE TEN
Brought to you by Canada Life
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Going the distance
Damian Warner
Whether in sports or in life, if there’s something that you want you’re going to have to work really hard for it. But it’s required if you want to get where you need to go. Because nothing of importance is going to come easy.
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Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
I really do feel like I’m not just representing myself, but I’m representing a large group of people. And it really does make me want to go out there and run that much faster and that much harder. And there’s nothing greater than standing on top of that podium and then coming home and telling people like, “it’s because of you guys that this happened.”
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Good things are worth going the distance for.
-- SUPER --
Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
-- SUPER --
THE TEN
Brought to you by Canada Life
-- SUPER --
Going the distance
Damian Warner
Whether in sports or in life, if there’s something that you want you’re going to have to work really hard for it. But it’s required if you want to get where you need to go. Because nothing of importance is going to come easy.
-- SUPER --
Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
I really do feel like I’m not just representing myself, but I’m representing a large group of people. And it really does make me want to go out there and run that much faster and that much harder. And there’s nothing greater than standing on top of that podium and then coming home and telling people like, “it’s because of you guys that this happened.”
-- SUPER --
Good things are worth going the distance for.
-- SUPER --
Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
Hear Damian talk about the value of advice, how nothing great happens alone, and his 1 piece of advice for aspiring athletes.
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What advice helped make you the athlete you are today?
Damian Warner
The best piece of advice that I’ve ever received is, “you can do anything you set your mind to, and nothing of importance happens alone.”
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Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
You need to surround yourself by people that see something great in you that you might not see in yourself. By people who have the expertise to help you get to where you’re going. And people that can give you the advice that you need when you need it.
Damian Warner
I think I would tell aspiring athletes that if there’s something that they want to achieve, and they believe they can achieve it, to find the people that can help them get to where they need to go. Ultimately you need those people. And you also have the belief. And if you have those two things then anything is possible.
Damian Warner
Some of the most important lessons that I’ve learned is I can set big goals for myself – I can push myself to limits that I never would have imagined.
Damian Warner
No matter the situation that arises I feel like I can find a way to figure it out.
Damian Warner
All these different things I’ve learned through sports. And all these things I believe will help me out through life.
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Greatness starts with great advice.
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Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
THE TEN
Brought to you by Canada Life
-- SUPER --
What advice helped make you the athlete you are today?
Damian Warner
The best piece of advice that I’ve ever received is, “you can do anything you set your mind to, and nothing of importance happens alone.”
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Damian Warner
Olympic Decathlon Champion | World Championship Medalist
Damian Warner
You need to surround yourself by people that see something great in you that you might not see in yourself. By people who have the expertise to help you get to where you’re going. And people that can give you the advice that you need when you need it.
Damian Warner
I think I would tell aspiring athletes that if there’s something that they want to achieve, and they believe they can achieve it, to find the people that can help them get to where they need to go. Ultimately you need those people. And you also have the belief. And if you have those two things then anything is possible.
Damian Warner
Some of the most important lessons that I’ve learned is I can set big goals for myself – I can push myself to limits that I never would have imagined.
Damian Warner
No matter the situation that arises I feel like I can find a way to figure it out.
Damian Warner
All these different things I’ve learned through sports. And all these things I believe will help me out through life.
-- SUPER --
Greatness starts with great advice.
-- SUPER --
Canada Life
Insurance | Investments | Advice
Learn more at canadalife.com/Damian
Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company
Damian talks about managing money and a young family, exploring business opportunities beyond athletics, his thoughts on retirement, and going for gold this summer.