Handling pressure in the sports world is a major factor in competitive sports.  A good competition among athletes determines who wins and loses. Great athletes can rise to the occasion. Some love pressure and use it to their advantage. Runner, Michael Johnson, winner of gold medals in the 200 and 400 meters in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta states, "It took me time to realize that I love pressure.  If there is one thing that will really take you to another level of performance-to the plateau where your victories are measured in the blink of milliseconds-it might be the ability to embrace pressure, to understand it, to draw it in, to make it your own and use it to your advantage."

Another kind of pressure in the sports world is success, which can become a problem in itself. Success can be as scary as failure. It brings attention which some athletes have a hard time dealing with.  For example some do not want to make a speech after their win.  They don't like public speaking. Golfer Paul Azinger states, "I've seen guys back off on Sunday afternoon because they know if they win they'll have to give a speech and they're afraid of giving a speech."

Another pressure accompanying success is the expectation of another win. many feel they have an obligation to win again. Some win and some fall into a slump. This expectation can get to them.  Diann Roffe-Steinrotter hit a slump after she won a silver medal in Super G at the 1992 Albertville Olympics. "I had a lot of problems, mostly my fault.  I think the expectations of having won a medal and being expected to win World Cup races got to me." Roffe-Steiner did get ahold of her emotions and went on to win a gold medal at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics and then a gold medal in her final career race at the 1994 World Cup finals in Vail.

The pressures of competition, success and further expections of more wins are all part of the Sports World and the athletes who excel learn how to manage them to keep on keeping on.