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5 months ago
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Olympian Jana Pittman has revealed that despite her 'amazing life' she is still suffering from regrets about not reaching her athletic potential, with a recent question from her daughter bringing her to tears.
The Australian sporting legend was a two-time world champion hurdler, but unfortunately never achieved her biggest goal of winning an Olympic medal due to a string of injuries.
Pittman is now a doctor and a mother of six, but opened up about how she feels a pang of regret with the upcoming Olympics approaching fast.
'Reality check time,' she posted to Instagram on Monday.
Jana Pittman was a two-time world champion and won Commonwealth gold, but never got to win at the Olympic Games - and that still fills her with regret
Pittman (pictured with her children) says she still has regrets about not reaching her full potential on the running track
'There is lots of Olympic stuff around at the moment that, despite my amazing life now, still brings about some regret and sadness over not fulfilling my sporting potential!
'Especially with the recent passing of one of my amazing coaches.
'Emily, my eldest daughter, and I have started evening walks and she asked me about being a little sad.
'Then after quiet reflection she said, "Mum, you have won the greatest gold medal ever... Me!!"
'What a little inspiration, made me laugh and cry at her beauty.
'She then went to inform me that regrets don't have purpose but that all my kids will always love me and that's what counts!' Pittman continued.
'Out of the mouth of babes!
'Showed me a few things; I have still got some unresolved stuff from sport (like most athletes in retirement) and gosh I truly am lucky to have this amazing kid, who likes herself and is a little mother hen to the other kids (and me).
In 2017, Pittman also spoke about how hard it was to give up on her quest for Olympic gold.
Pittman (pictured with her children) was brought to tears after a recent conversation with her eldest daughter Emily (left)
'I didn't ever hit the goal that I was hoping for in my career. Growing up as a child wanting to win the Olympic Games is all I ever dreamed of, I never made it,' she said on SBS show Insight.
'I have a beautiful family and three beautiful kids. I'm studying to be a doctor... I have so many things on, I can't fit training in anymore.
'I'm not interested in being there [at the gym] but for some reason I can't let go because that elusive gold medal never happened.
'I feel very fat right now with the amount of food I eat,' she said as she laughed. 'I just had a baby but I feel like I just can't stop eating.'
Fighting back her tears, she said she found it difficult to let go of her sporting career despite retiring on a number of occasions.
'I'm not really sure I've actually coped with it [retirement] yet. I think it's probably the hardest thing I've ever dealt with,' she said.
'My poor family, every minute I'm like 'I'm retired, I'm done' but then five minutes later I'm like: 'No I'm back at the gym can you come and look after the kids?'
English (US)