Journeys of Portuguese athletes to sporting success: the peaks and troughs

Abstract

This research examined the experiences of eight Portuguese (former) elite athletes from a social scientific perspective. In so doing it attempted to move away from the tentacles of achievement sport and, in particular, the performance efficiency model that dominates elite sport. Rather, it focused on the subjective and qualitative experiences of sportspeople themselves and gave them a forum to reflect upon the primary socializing agents that played a key role in their sporting success, and on the peaks and troughs on their journeys to sporting success, nationally and internationally. The research design included semi-structured interviews with athletes that excelled in athletics, handball, gymnastics, korfball and swimming. All eight had achieved outstanding results nationally and internationally. A qualitative approach was adopted for data collection and analysis. Giving voice to the former athletes themselves revealed much about: the primary socializing agents for sport in their lives, as young, teenage and adult athletes; those role models and mentors that influenced their initial and ongoing involvement and specialization in sport, these being the family (usually parents), physical education teachers and peers; and, finally, the peaks and troughs in their careers which usually hinged around sporting success or defeat, failure to achieve expected results, and the onset and impact of injury. Taken together, these findings reverberate with those of other researchers beyond the Lusophone world. They also indicate the emergence and development of a sports ethic in Portugal despite the comparatively late entry of that country into the global sporting arms race.