GEMILI Adam

General
FLORIDA MOVE
In 2019 he moved to Jacksonville, FL, United States of America, to train after his coach and training group moved there from the Netherlands. He says he believes that the hot weather means he has less chance of sustaining injuries. "It was a big move. It cost me a lot, not seeing my family every day and not being with my girlfriend anymore because of the distance. There were a lot of sacrifices to make, but you have to take those risks. You don't get a long career and I want to do everything I can. I am not an 18-year-old, new to the sport and rocking up to the Olympics. I am at the age where I need to be in senior finals and bringing home medals. The years are going by faster and faster and before you know it I am going to be retiring, looking back at my career and thinking maybe I could have done this or that different." (bbc.co.uk, 17 Dec 2019; telegraph.co.uk, 19 Jul 2019)

RIO MEDAL DISAPPOINTMENT
He says he struggled with the disappointment of narrowly missing out on a medal in the 200m at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. "I was beaten in a way I shouldn't have been and it took me months to get over it. I had the same time as third place on the scoreboard and I thought, 'Oh, maybe we get a joint medal', but no. Four years came down to those 20 seconds and then to that margin. It's hard to comprehend. Make a mistake, a tiny error, and it's over. I didn't sleep after [the 200m] final. I showered and went to bed but couldn't sleep so I got up and went down to the food hall in the Village. It was 04:00 and no-one was there. Then I went for a walk and found a bench. I sat down and just sobbed for ages. I needed my own space to cry. Nobody saw me. I haven't cried like that ever." He also finished fourth in the 200m at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar. (thetimes.co.uk, 20 Mar 2020)

SWITCH FROM FOOTBALL
He says his transition to athletics from football was not easy but that he uses his experience of team sport when competing in the relay. "Dreams change and you have to be realistic. It's just crazy how life can completely change but I'm so happy I found myself in another sport. One of the hardest things to adapt to was going from a team-based sport to an individual sport. You go from being in the changing room with teammates, living and training with them every day, to a situation where if you don't get on the line and run, then nobody else is going to run for you. The experience of being part of a football team is what really helps me with relay. I can bring the team together and I know how strong a well-bonded team can be." (bbc.co.uk, 17 Dec 2019; chelseafc.com, 05 Oct 2019)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
In July 2020 he joined the board of The Athletics Association, an independent athletes' organisation that aims to secure improved rights and representation for international athletics competitors. (bbc.co.uk, 16 Jul 2020)

He became the first British athlete to run both the 100m in under 10 seconds and the 200m in under 20 seconds when he recorded a 100m time of 9.97s at the 2015 Diamond League meet in Birmingham, England. He first ran the 200m in under 20 seconds [19.98s] at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Russian Federation. (uel.ac.uk, 01 Sep 2015; bbc.co.uk, 07 Jun 2015)