7 mistakes to avoid in a post-competition interview

1. Responding entirely in the heat of the moment

Disappointment and euphoria are part of sport. You can express them without making them your only interpretation of the result. If you need a moment, simply tell the journalist.

Separate feelings from analysis: you can be frustrated while acknowledging that you have not yet reviewed the decisive moments. This avoids presenting an impression as an established fact.

2. Directly blaming someone else

Blaming a teammate, coach or official can turn the whole interview into a discussion about conflict. If you mention an incident, describe what you observed and what you can confirm.

A real mistake can be explained. But a team debrief and a public reaction serve different purposes. Hold back accusations and final conclusions until the facts are clear.

3. Giving an endless answer

Fatigue can make you recount the whole competition to find your train of thought. The viewer then loses the main point.

Answer in one sentence first, then develop the most useful point. The journalist can ask for detail. You do not need to fill every silence or anticipate every following question.

4. Using too much jargon

Training vocabulary is not always audience vocabulary. An unexplained technical detail can obscure what you want to say.

Keep a technical term if it adds precision, then explain its effect on the race. To practise this beforehand, read the guide to preparing for a TV interview.

5. Not answering the question

A question about how you feel calls for a feeling first. A question about a race decision calls for an explanation of that decision.

If you do not understand, ask for clarification. If you do not know the answer, say so. You can then add a related point, making clear what it explains and what it does not yet establish.

6. Forgetting your audience

You are answering the journalist, but your words will be heard by supporters, partners and sometimes people discovering your sport.

Give the audience the context they need: your objective, the decisive moment and what the result means for what comes next. Avoid references only your team will understand.

7. Reciting a prepared speech

An over-rehearsed answer can sound disconnected from the question or what just happened. Preparation should give you reference points, not lock you into a script.

Listen to the follow-up and answer in your own words. You can qualify, correct or expand your answer. The aim is to take part in a conversation, not direct the journalist's work.

Common mistakes

• Confusing a first impression at the finish with a confirmed analysis.
• Turning an explanation into a personal accusation.
• Trying so hard to find the perfect answer that you stop listening.

For your next interview

You do not need to hide your emotions. Give them their place, then base your answer on what you know. A short, balanced response also leaves room to add to your analysis later.