Post by Sara Guevara PhD

7 years. 🎓 In some ways it’s gone quickly, and in others, very slowly. But I’ve now reached the final hurdle of my PhD… graduation. Something that, once upon a time, I never imagined for myself. This journey would not have been possible without the people who supported and believed in me along the way. I’m incredibly grateful for every experience and every person who shaped this process. A key reflection from this journey is that completing a PhD is not just about being “smart”. It requires resilience and grit. Everyone reaches a breaking point at some stage, but it’s how you navigate it and keep going that matters. While I wouldn’t choose to repeat the last 7 years, I’m very grateful for where it has taken me and the person it has helped me become. I was also fortunate to celebrate the day with two incredible women and fellow graduates, Dr Ali Fitch and Dr Kylie Holt, PhD, who I’m lucky enough to call friends. We’ve each had our own unique journeys, so it was really special to share this milestone together. A special thank you to my family for their ongoing support and for coming to Canberra to celebrate this milestone. And to my supervisors Michael Drew, Richard Keegan, Gordon Waddington, Lain Dare and Renee Appaneal, I would not have completed this without your guidance and support. Thank you also to the Australian Institute Of Sport, NSW Institute of Sport, ACT Academy of Sport, and the University of Canberra for supporting this journey. And to the many friends, colleagues, and members of the industry and academic community who contributed along the way, thank you. Looking forward to what’s next. If anyone’s interested, the full thesis is available here: https://lnkd.in/gfqJVj6d