IN THE lead up to Port Adelaide’s game against Hawthorn in Tasmania this weekend, Power captain Dom Cassisi says the squad will draw on the inspiration of cyclist Anna Meares winning gold at the London Olympics.
SA-based Meares won the final in the women’s track cycling sprint - claiming Australia’s third gold overall, and second individual for the 2012 games.
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She and women’s team sprint bronze medallist teammate Kaarle McCulloch are ambassadors in the Power Community Youth Program - a Port Adelaide Football Club imitative which promotes healthy lifestyle messages to children in schools.
Following a difficult week in the history of the club, Cassisi says the Port Adelaide playing group will draw on the inspiration of Meares beating the odds to take the ultimate prize in front of the old enemy in the UK.
“She’s the best in the world at what she does so there’s probably not too many people out there at what she does,” said Cassisi.
“There’s not too many people out there that would have the work ethic that she’s got.
“It’s something that we can draw inspiration from.”
Cassisi told the media that professional athletes need to be able to respond to pressure and heaped praise on Meares for her ability to come back from a tough fifth placing in the Women’s Keirin final to claim Sprint gold.
“The most amazing thing from Anna was that she came fifth in her other most important event which is not what she wanted,” he said.
“But the way she responded was clearly first class.
“She would have focussed on the things that mattered to her … blocked out the external pressure and she was able to deliver after a bit of adversity.
“That’s the true measure of an athlete - the way they respond to adversity.”
The Port Adelaide Football Club and Power Community Ltd congratulate Anna and Kaarle on their medal winning performances in London.
