David Jarvis won Gold in the Invictus Games 2023 Men’s Cycling Time Trial after setting himself a personal goal in the face of adversity. Here he recalls how it felt to win a gold medal, what motivated him to achieve that personal goal, and what life lessons he can share as a result.
The Winning Feeling
In short, winning gold felt like a dam broke, releasing all the water at once.
I took part in several events at the Invictus Games 2023, but the cycling time trial was the singular event I’d wagered the majority of my preparation on. Since my diagnosis as a Type 1 diabetic three months earlier, I’d set my goal of winning gold in this specific event. All or nothing, go big or go home.
Challenges
Learning to live with Type 1 diabetes is a significant challenge, to be clear it nearly killed me. Setting a goal of winning gold and developing a strategic pathway towards this, kept me moving forward with that challenge regardless of how difficult it got. However, by the time I got to Dusseldorf in Germany for the Invictus Games, the pressure I’d put on myself, the amount of stress I was feeling, nearly had me a breaking point. I was on a knife edge mentally.
Nevertheless, on the day of the race, I was so incredibly focused on what I needed, to do and all the little details involved in doing it, I’d zoned almost everything else out completely (including my wife’s birthday!). Upon crossing the finish line, I wasn’t even aware that I’d set the fastest time. I was literally the last person to find out that I’d won. When my coach told me, I didn’t believe it at first, but then the pressure dissipated almost instantly, and I just broke down right there in the pit lane, overcome with emotion – relief, joy and elation.
Preparation To Celebration
My team didn’t know or see the amount of work I was doing at home and the pressure I had put on myself. My family were the only ones to witness this side of my training and preparation. So, during the medal ceremony, after Prince Harry put the gold medal around my neck, my family and I shared a very special, emotional moment which, unfortunately for me and the emotions clearly visible on my face, the worlds press captured in 4K HD!
Lessons For Life
My Invictus Games journey, combined with my experiences as a member of the armed forces, has taught me that with commitment, diligence, and determination, we have the power to achieve the goals we set ourselves. I am now passionate about sharing my experience and learnings, helping others to find that motivation and success across various areas of their lives.
