Growing your Confidence Through Sport with Four Time Olympian, Donna Fraser

Donna Fraser is one of the UK’s most successful 400m runners who competed at four consecutive Olympic Games. An amazing achievement in itself and a testament to her incredible fitness levels. Fraser herself was a youthful prodigy. Despite being shy, she was a super-fast runner. She won a record six English Schools titles plus the European junior 400m crown in 1991 before making the British team for the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and reaching the quarter-finals of the 400m.

Twenty Years On

It has been twenty years since the Olympics in Sydney 2000, and it was here when the entire nation of Australia turned its attention to Cathy Freeman and the women's 400-metre final. What many may not know is that during that time, Donna Fraser had been Cathy’s training partner all over the summer at the Thames Valley Athletics Centre in Eton. They built up an amazing friendship and still keep in touch to this day. Cathy Freeman struck gold that day in Australia and Fraser took fourth place in 49.79sec, finishing fast, but just missing out on the bronze medal. That went to her British team-mate Katharine Merry, by 0.07sec.

Donna, how did you get into running?

My athletic career sort of stemmed from my sister. She was an athlete herself, and being 10 years older than me, she was my immediate role model. I wanted to be just like her. The vivid memory I have, from when I was eight, was my PE teacher saying to me, ‘When you’re running look straight ahead- be determined- focus on winning.’ Running for my primary school I was approached by the athletics club, though even at that age I knew sport wouldn’t pay the bills. I asked Mum and Dad if I could join- they immediately said, ‘No way.’ My sister, my saviour, asked them to give me a chance, to prove myself and get out of my shell. The rest is history.

At just the age of 11, I was running cross country and track for Croydon Harriers. I didn’t like the cold, I didn’t like mud and I didn’t like hills, but I was always running. I’m still a member with them today. When I professionally retired from athletics, I said I would still support them; I know my competitiveness has never left me and I know if I were to run again, I would get very competitive. Running for the Harriers was brilliant, they were my second family. When I started, I never knew running would be my career, it was more a hobby. However, my journey saw me move from 100 to 200m and I was soon running 400m! I won my first 400m, and it all grew from there on. My legs got longer and with that I just kept improving.

Confidence through the Power of Sport

Going on to represent England at the Commonwealth Games, I learned so much. Although, I will say now that even at the end of my career I still didn’t know how to run the 400m properly. We are always learning and I was always picking things up as I went through my career. I looked up to other athletes and as I followed in their footsteps, I was getting more confident in myself. The confidence I hold today is all down to sport.

Donna tell me about some of your experiences from the Sydney Olympics 2000

It is so hard to believe that this Olympics was so long ago. That year, I had a great opportunity. I was able to train with Cathy Freeman that summer and looking back now I am still in awe of how amazing that is! She was an amazing athlete and an amazing woman, with a lot of pressure placed on her shoulders and hence training here in the UK, was a way for her to escape that added pressure.

Training with her really catapulted me into running at a world class standard. In that Olympics, I ran a personal best in every round. I pushed myself so hard, and that was an amazing feeling. I just missed the podium, and even now I find it hard to watch. I was devastated, though half of me was incredibly happy for Freeman. Sydney Olympics was a rollercoaster of mixed emotions for me!

After that, I went to the Athens Olympics in 2004. Leading into this, my Achilles was horrendous. I had operations after operations, and I was almost written off. I fought back and trained hard, adamant I was making that team. Leading into Sydney I wanted a medal but leading into Athens I just wanted to get on the team. My mindset was completely different, and it paid off. I didn’t make the final, but I was just proud to have made it there.

That’s quite an achievement Donna! What Came Next?

You almost don’t realise it when you are there, in ‘athlete mode’. You don’t think about being in the Olympics, you just run. I also made it to the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the relay squad but didn’t get to run. That is what makes me realise I was so grateful just to be there, be a part of the Olympics and that’s when I realised how incredible it was. In 2008, I acted as a support for the women’s 4 x 4 squad, and I realised that my job was now to be a role model.

After that, I made a slight change in my career path and gave the indoor 400m a go (compared to the outdoor tracks). It was so hard and I really respect how difficult indoor running is! I did okay, went to the 2009 European championships and came away with a medal in relay. I was very body aware and just after this, I found a lump in my breast. I thought I was just run down. I kept an eye on it, and had the lump removed all the while still training and competing. No one knew. I didn’t tell anyone other than my coach, who blew it off as nothing, and then I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was a bombshell I did not see coming.

That was a life changing moment. In good old athlete style, I carried on and did what had to be done. I was devastated but I couldn’t change anything and so I plucked up the courage to tell people. The plan was to start radiotherapy, but a mastectomy was suggested instead and to cut a long story short I had a mastectomy later that year. No one would know that unless I told them. I’m still me, I’m still Donna Fraser and though life changing for me, I didn’t need to change for anyone else.

Photo credit: Donna Fraser

What has led you to where you are now?

I have always worked alongside my athletics career. I was working at EDF Energy for 19 years and when the role as Equality, Diversity and Engagement Lead for UK Athletics opened up, I instantly wanted that career change. I took on that role, almost four years ago and I absolutely love it. I feel like I’m making a difference to others and it is what I’m all about. If I can make a difference for one person somewhere, I’ll be happy.

Why are we seeing teenage girls drop out of sport?

I think sports people in the public eye play a huge role in this. When I was younger there was no social media and we only had the odd magazine to read. Sport in school was mandatory and the curriculum has now changed so much. There are more children overweight and so much focus on body image today. Yes, you should be comfortable in yourself, but at the same time social media portrays you to look a certain way as well. Teens go one of two ways, in not doing sport for caring too much about how they look, or just not doing sport. Body image and social media play a huge role in how teenage girls feel about themselves. That it is not cool to be sweaty. If you don’t have the confidence, or the right role models around, finding a true passion for sport can be difficult at that age.

Equally, there is a lack of positive role models. There is too much social media that comes with negative connotations. My best advice for a teenage girl would be to think about who she wants to be in her 30’s or 40’s. What image do they want to see? Do you want to be fit and healthy, both mentally or physically? At this age, you are in control of your own future. Make it right! My dad would always say to me, ‘You do what you want to do; don’t let anyone stand in your way.’ This is what has helped me through my athletics career.

Do you think there is still a lack of visibility for women in sport?

Definitely! In athletics we are diverse anyway, but in terms of global coverage of female sports, it’s poor. Unfortunately, this is historical and it’s going to take time to change that. It is changing, with tiny pigeon steps, but it’s changing. As women, we have to celebrate ourselves, and if the media doesn’t cover our achievements, we should show them ourselves.

As role models, we need to put ourselves out there to be seen! The positive use of social media comes in where we promote ourselves as role models to the new generation of Olympians. We need male allies and we need the men in our lives to shout about us too.

In my role at work we are focusing a lot on female leadership. We want to get to a point where it shouldn’t be about female leadership, it should just be about leadership. In order to do this, we need to get men on board and champion us, push us forward and work alongside us to showcase just what woman can use!

Donna’s Top Tips for getting started:

1 - Try and be positive, every single day. It’s tough, especially this year, but we need to all support each other the best we can. Exercise can help get through down times

2. Find your thing and use it to help you be positive. If this is just going for a walk, use that to make you happy!

3. Just get moving and you’ll soon find your focus

Career Highlights

Highlights as a junior: six English Schools titles at 200m: Juniors 1986-87; Intermediates 1988-89 and Senior 1990-91. A junior international from 1988-91.

Highlights as a senior: 400m quarter-finalist in 1996 Olympics. Bronze in 1998 Commonwealth Games. Second in 400m at 2000 European Cup, fourth in 2000 Olympics. Semi-finals of 2001 World Championships. Achilles problems in 2002 and 2003. Reached semi-finals of 2004 Olympics.