Interview: Aussie skier Yeaton poised to push past all barriers on way to Beijing glory

SYDNEY, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Australian cross-country skier Jessica Yeaton has covered a lot of territory on her determined path to the upcoming Beijing Olympic Winter Games.

Yeaton and her family traveled far and wide for work during her formative years. Born in Western Australia's Perth, Yeaton moved to Texas, Dubai, and by the age of 12 was in Anchorage in the snowy U.S. state of Alaska.

It was in Alaska where Yeaton's powerful desire to test her mettle quickly led her to try winter sports, in particular, cross-country skiing.

"I grew up running, mountain biking, swimming and competitive cycling, so I've always wanted to push my limits as far as I can," Yeaton told Xinhua on Thursday, from the ski fields of Davos in Switzerland.

"I have always enjoyed the endurance aspect of cross-country skiing."

Her ability to tap into deep reserves of determination and stamina is reflected by such career highlights as competing in five events at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in 2018 and securing the 2020 crown at the American Birkebeiner, the largest cross-country skiing race in the United States.

Yeaton's training regime ahead of the Beijing Olympics Winter Games shows her gritty competitive spirit remains strong.

"Generally, we do two workouts a day, starting with a two-hour ski in the morning," she said. "And then we'll take a break before doing another one or two hours skiing or sometimes a run in the afternoon. So it's about three to four intense hours daily that is mainly cardiovascular training."

A big part of the athlete's success is having the willpower to force herself past her body's pain barriers.

"While you're competing, you're mostly thinking about how your legs are hurting or lungs are burning," she said. "And so it is about pushing through that and telling yourself, 'I can do this ... I can finish this race'."

She said competing was something of a balancing act. On one hand, the surge of adrenaline before an event sparks the nervous energy and excitement needed to excel. Too much of that fuel, however, is counterproductive. The art is ensuring you "don't get yourself too worked up".

The 30-year-old skier intends to use her finely honed balancing skills when she competes on the Yanqing ski fields in February.

Although yet to try the Chinese facilities, Yeaton believes her practice in Davos would be helpful, as both locations share a similar altitude.

"Snow conditions really change at different altitudes around the world. Skiing in Australia, for example, is generally wetter than in Alaska where it is colder and has more fresh powder."

"Davos has a relatively high elevation, so when I leave for Beijing on Sunday, I should be acclimatized. It will then be a matter of adjusting the body clock."

Aside from hard-won wisdom gained through years of competition, Yeaton has a wealth of academic learning and is now into the final year of earning a doctorate in physiotherapy.

"I've learned so many things from physio that apply to myself," she said. "Cross-country skiers get a lot of overuse injuries because we train at such high volumes. It's been great over the last few years because I've been able to remain free of a lot of the common injuries."

She is also prepared to block out much of the cacophony and concerns regarding the Games and focus on her competition.

"I think on top of all the challenges caused by COVID, it's hard to keep a clear focus. I've found it's best for me to shut off those issues because they can be stressful," she said.

Her focus is now firmly placed on five events, including a freestyle sprint through to her favorite contest, a 30-kilometer endurance race.

"I really like long distances," she said. "But it's at the end of the Games, so it's a matter of pacing yourself, not to get too fatigued beforehand."