Olympic comeback launches new book (From Bucks Free Press)

Olympic comeback launches new book

3:30pm Friday 21st September 2012 in News By James Nadal

If not now, when? For Olympic come back hero Greg Searle this has been a key thought and phrase in his life and has hence become the title to his new book.

The 1992 Olympic gold medal winning rower decided to make a surprise return to the boat for the London 2012 games where he bagged a bronze to add to his collection.

Following his remarkable river success, now, at 40, twice as old as he was when he triumphed in Spain, he explained to Freetime the importance of his biography's title.

"These were the words used at a key moment during the 1992 race by the cox when I won gold," he said.

"It was also the words in my head in 2009 when I decided I wanted to go for it to try to make the team for London 2012.

"It's also very relevant to this time right now. We've got this Olympic success and inspired a generation, so if not now, when will you go to your local sports club, to volunteer, help do some coaching, get involved?

"Or just get on your running shoes and try to be a bit healthier rather than playing on the x-box."

He had this message for youngsters: "Set some goals now, for me they are critical if you want to do something well."

And he had no doubts that his early days - and his folks - were essential to his success.

"My parents gave me the opportunity to do sporty," he told Freetime.

"They thought sport, being healthy, being competitive and a team worker were all important life skills and made the effort to drive me to rugby and go to a school where I could row. "If it hadn't have been my parents I wouldn't have got where I am."

His current job as a leadership development consultant has played an important role in him taking the step from rower to writer.

"I tell bits and pieces of my life story for my job in a way which is to highlight life lessons, team work or organisation, so they're are lots I've told many times," he said.

"It was a real exciting project and privilege to write into one book."

Clients had generally found his stories helpful, informative and interesting, he said, therefore he felt it was worth telling through the book.

At 40 many people and certainly most sportsmen would think their sporting halcyon days would be long gone, but for Greg he said it was about having that drive to succeed still despite his age.

He's hoping his next success will be in the literary world.

To meet Greg and get a signed copy of his book, visit Waterstones, High Wycombe at 12pm on Saturday.

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