By 
0
0
Written by Ara Downey. Edited by Monika M.
Please note, NAME asked for their name to be redacted to preserve their social standing.
With the 2024 Medlympics coming to an end, I had the pleasure of sitting down with NAME, who was recently named the all-around Phase 1 MediSeptathlon champion after a gruelling fight to the end.
For those unaware, the septathlon is a seven-part event taking place over the course of a single day, and is widely considered to be one of the most challenging tests of endurance, adaptability, and strength in the Medlympics. Competitors start out by attempting to watch a live lecture, with points being awarded for information recall at the end of the day. The second part is a Brioso run, with competitors timed and points are deducted if they are unable to return before the start of tutorial. This is then followed by an Anki test, with competitors ranked on a balance between accuracy and speed, before a short break.
“The break saves you,” NAME tells me. “By the time you hit enter on that last Anki card, you feel like you can’t go on anymore.”
The break is followed by three tasks which may be completed in any order: an email to the clinical skills administrative staff, a timed run to the BioSci vending machine, and a weird physiology practical activity. The competition then finishes with a social challenge, where competitors are sent to an AMSA convention event and challenged with not being photographed making out with someone from their own university.
As part of the challenge, competitors are deliberately given misleading event details, and then emailed eighteen hours before the start time to tell them that the location has changed. Competitors must also complete their physiology prework to be allowed into the room.
NAME says it’s a “mental challenge as much as a physical challenge.”
“I was originally a tetrathlete,” she says. “The tetrathlon excludes the AMSA challenge, the BioSci challenge, and the email. My coach thought I had potential to be a septathlete, and so I switched last year. I’ve enjoyed the change, but it’s definitely a step up in difficulty.”
When asked what the key difference is between the two events, she says it’s “the exhaustion”. “You get to that last challenge and you’re just absolutely drained.” She has a secret up her sleeve, though, and it may be what pushed her into the gold position. “Unlike a lot of my competitors, my strategy for the AMSA challenge is actually just to not make out with anyone. It’s a bit unconventional, but I think this win has really solidified the utility of the approach for me.”
It’s true. NAME was in third position at the start of the AMSA challenge, but her strategy pushed her into the top spot. She also excels at the email challenge. Her secret? “Start it with ‘Dear’.”
“The hardest part is definitely the live lecture for me,” she says. “You can’t use any aids at all — up until six months ago you were allowed to split-screen it with Subway Surfers, but now you actually have to watch the whole thing. You’re not allowed lecture slides either. It’s a bit of a mental game, staying motivated after that. I use the Brioso run to wake myself up.”
Suffice to say it must be working. Despite being relatively new to the sport, she’s claimed gold at these Medlympics and is widely considered the favourite for the upcoming national championships.
Next year, though, she may face new challenges. I asked her how she’s feeling about moving in to the Phase 2 category next year.
“Honestly, terrified,” she admits, laughing. “Some of the people in the Phase 2 competition have been doing it for more than twice as long as I have. They’ve got their own tricks up their sleeve and I know I’ll need to work harder than ever to maintain my current level of performance.”
Is it demotivating her, though? “Never. At the end of the day it’s the love for the sport that keeps me going.”
Thanks for speaking with us, NAME; we look forward to seeing where your athletic career goes!
By 
