Michelle Jenneke: “Dancing Hurdler” Silver Medalist Youth Olympic Games 2010 Singapore

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have done bold photo shoots with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, how you are so body confident and advice to your compatriots?

Ms. Michelle Jenneke: I’m not sure they were that bold, I think I was one of the most covered women that SI have had in their issue. As an athlete I spend most of the year in nothing much more than a crop top and little lycra shorts, so you get used to showing a lot of skin and thinking nothing of it. I don’t always love the way my body looks, but I have much more important things to think about than how I look or what people think of the way I look. I think my advice to people is fairly simple, wear what you feel comfortable in.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Your pre-race warm-up dancing at a 100 meters hurdles heat at the 2012 Junior World Championships in Barcelona that went viral on YouTube has now amassed more than 25.46 million views. Tell us about this dancing warm-up and how you came up with this idea? Your reaction to such an internet sensational phenomena?

Ms. Michelle Jenneke: The warm up dance came about at Nationals in 2009 when I was 16. It was the last day of a four day competition and I had competed every day and was feeling pretty tired. In warm up for my 100m final I was really flat and my coach said I just had to find a way of pumping myself up before the race. When I got to the start line, they started playing music and I just started having a bit of a dance to it and then ran my fastest ever 100m sprint and I have been doing it ever since.

When the video started going viral I was on holiday in Europe with my sister, so other than messages from my friends telling me I was trending and then going viral, I didn’t really know what was happening. I came back to Australia for a few weeks after that, but I was more focussed on seeing family and friends rather than focussing on what was happening online. I think my family and friends were more excited than I was. I then travelled to Tanzania doing volunteer work for 3 months, so I think I escaped most of the hype.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You participate in 100 m, 100 m hurdles and 4×100 m relay races which one is your favorite and why ?

Ms. Michelle Jenneke: I actually like to have a go at a number of other events, but yes, they would be my most regular events, however I haven’t run many 100m sprints in the last few seasons. I love the team work in relays, but generally I find straight running a little boring. I love the hurdles, it is definitely my favourite. I like that it is more technical and that you can constantly make little changes, which keeps it interesting.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Who has been your biggest influence and motivation in your path to success ?

Ms. Michelle Jenneke: I run because I love it, not because I aspire to be like anyone else, so I guess my biggest influence would be my desire to go faster and my motivation to enjoy life through my sport.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: What you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?

Ms. Michelle Jenneke: I think any organisation that encourages people whether they are male ot female, young or old to get active in life and enjoy it, is doing a great job. I would say to everyone reading this ‘Love life and live it, don’t let it pass you by’.

Women Fitness Team thanks Michelle Jenneke for giving her valuable time for this interview and quenching the thirst of her fans to know more about her and shall also like to thank Nicky Jenneke who made this interview happen.

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