TFN Talks with Nikkita Holder
TFN Talks sat down with Nikkita Holder, a Pan American Games track and field Bronze Medalist and 2012 and 2016 member of Canada’s Olympic Team, to talk about her career as a professional athlete, being a single mother and the legacy she would like to leave for her son. In 2012 Holder was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for significant contribution to Canada in sports.
Nikita thank you for being here with us. Where did you grow up, what is your background and what inspired you to pursue a career as a professional track and field athlete?
I was born in East York, a borough of Toronto. However, at the age of 12 I moved to the suburb of Pickering Ontario Canada. My background is West Indian, Bajan (Barbados) to be exact. If I’m honest track and field picked me. It was something that I was just naturally good at in my younger years. My parents recognised my abilities at a young age and pointed me in the right direction. Pursuing a professional career wasn’t something I had put much thought into until after my colligate years. It was at that time that I became confident that I could pursue a career in track and field.
You competed at the 2015 Pan American Games just a month after your father had passed. Within the scope of that month you had also lost a teammmate and saw your marriage end, all the while being a single mom to a 2 year old baby boy. In the finals you ran toward a bronze, setting a season's best at 12.85. What was going through your head and how did you manage to conjure up the strength to achieve such an incredible victory under such mentally and emotionally tragic and strenuous circumstances?
In the time leading up to the Pan American games so much unfolded in my life. The death of my teammate, my father shortly after and then the finalization of my divorce. I owe my success to my ability to fight in the midst of chaos and to my support system. I fought tooth and nail to stay afloat and I had my family and close friends right by my side cheering me on. My son also made things so much easier to do, I wanted to make him proud of his Mama.
In 2012 you competed at the Olympic Games in London for the very first time. In 2016 you went to the Olympics again. How did that very first time feel and how did you celebrate when you found out that you were going to be part of the National team and represent Canada in the Olympic Games? Did you feel less pressure the second time around or was it always on?
There are no words that can effectively describe how I felt when I found out I made my first Olympic team, I had set a goal and I achieved it. I made myself and my family proud. My second go around wasn’t as smooth as the first time. I had so much more riding on my plate this time around. There was SO much more riding on my plate, I needed to prove to myself that I was still able to achieve the unachievable under some serious emotional circumstances. When I crossed the finish line at Canadian Nationals Olympic year, I knew I did it. I knew I made myself proud and my son.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have had to overcome in your career and life in general?
The biggest challenge I’ve had in my career I’d say is becoming a mother and learning how to juggle being a great mother and a great athlete. Both jobs require so much time and dedication it was a challenge to accomplish both.
What does it take to become a professional athlete in your sport? Can you shed some light into the kind of training you had to keep up with and the sacrifices, physical, mental and emotional you had to make in the years you competed at the Olympic Games?
Sacrifice. Dedication. Hard work. During my journey to my first and second Olympic games there was a lot of life sacrifices I had to make to get further ahead. I missed out on a lot of family gathering and things alike. Training was a 24/7 thing, it didn’t mean I was always on the track or in the weight room but what it did mean was that I had to be very mindful of the choices I made in my daily life. I had to find the balance to having a life and staying on track for training.
In 2012 you were awarded the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. For those who are not aware, The Canadian medal, which is to "honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians, is administered by the Chancellery of Honours to citizens and permanent residents of Canada who made a significant contribution to their fellow countrymen, their community, or to Canada over the previous sixty years. What does being acknowledged in this way mean to you?
When I was awarded this prestigious award all I could think of was “I will be a part of history, my name, Nikkita Holder will be written in books.” How amazing, it can’t get any better than that.
How do you love spending your time outside of sport?
Aside from spending time with my son Kaedence I love getting lost in a good book although I haven’t been able to do much reading since becoming a mom. By the time I get a moment to read I read one page and then I’m asleep, so I’ve started to indulge in the podcast and audiobook world. I also love writing. I have been an avid journal writer for years. It is a way that I can unwind.
I recently came across a post of yours on social media where you gave thanks for this year (2020) and how you saw the pandemic and all the restrictions which came with it as an opportunity to spend more time and connect deeper with your young son. It was so immensely inspiring to read your post and to witness the love and the power of positive thinking with which you live your life. Where do you think this light within you comes from? It’s so easy to complain about this year and no one would say anything against it if you did, but you chose to see the blessings in the dark.
I have experienced so much in the last few years. In truth my initial reaction was to complain but I stopped myself. Being a single mom is so challenging and before the pandemic I was literally begging for a break from it all. With a single income taking a vacation wasn’t in the cards (and the lord knew I needed a vacation). I always talk about paying attention to the signs the universe gives you. For me the pandemic/lockdown was a big sign for me, it was my chance to take the break I so desperately needed. So, with that I decided to flow with it, embrace it. I took the break from the “real world” and invested more time with my son, with myself and just enjoyed my staycation.
You are by all definition an incredibly inspirational, powerhouse of a woman. Where do you think your strength comes from and how do you inspire yourself to keep going, no matter what life throws your way?
Thank you for your kind words. It is still sometimes so hard for me to think of myself as those things you described. I just feel like I’m doing what any other human does/would do. I owe all of my success to my support system, my parents and my friends and of course my son. He inspires me to continue to do better and be better.
You are a loving devoted mother to a handsome young man who is growing up being guided by your love, strength, wisdom and achievements. What are some of the life lessons do you hope to pass on to him based on your own experiences?
I want Kaedence to grow up loving himself fully and wholeheartedly. I want him to have confidence earlier rather than later, to be sure of himself. It's extremely important to me for him to beat to the sound of his own drum (his name means ‘rhythm’) and follow his heart.
What is the main message you aim to deliver as a mental toughness coach and speaker in your work with clients and the community?
The main message I want to deliver is that, you are strong enough because “victory is you” you are capable and as long as you are willing to be accountable you will succeed.
What is the legacy you hope to leave on this planet?
The legacy I want to leave is my son. A well rounded, well respected, well versed boy. A boy who will grow into a man who understands that his actions contribute to the world.
photo by Trevor Godinho
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