My 2024 | Martina stops: ‘Didn’t get the icing, but ate the cake’

• Luuk Blijboom

  editor Autovantra Sport

2024 is coming to an end. Time to look back on an eventful year in our traditional end-of-year series. Today: Churandy Martina.

What will he miss least when his first year as a retired athlete starts on January 1, 2025? Churandy Martina smiles baring his gold teeth as only he can.

“That’s a good question, boy. I’m going to miss everything. I really do. I’ve done this for a long time, then athletics just becomes part of your life. No, it’s better to say: athletics is my life.”

It’s true. The career of the most positive of Dutch sports is really over at the age of 40. What remains happy is the generous grin.

There is no better remedy for grumpiness than the Willemstad-born athlete.

“Life doesn’t stop now that my career is over, hahaha. Tomorrow the sun will rise again, right? But for the same money, it will rain. Or we will get snow. We just keep going, boy. That’s it!“

Five Olympic finals. Silver in the 200 meters during the 2008 Games in Beijing on behalf of the Netherlands Antilles, half a second behind winner Usain Bolt.

A medal that was taken from him from behind the green table two hours after the finish because he allegedly crossed the line with his left foot. A medal that nevertheless hangs in his cupboard, because the American Shawn Crawford refused to accept it and gave it to the man who in his eyes was entitled to it.

“Anyone who gets the opportunities in life that I have had should feel privileged. How many people are there who would love to achieve this, but just don’t make it? Or can’t. If you can, you should just enjoy it. Seize the moment and cherish it.”

The Dutch relay team was already eliminated in the series – in which Martina had not yet participated. “I didn’t get that cherry. But I ate the cake completely. Yeah, dude!”

Believe him: “I am the happiest man in the world. I have done everything I want and enjoyed every moment of it.”

Also a nice bonus: “I will stay young forever.”

In spirit, that is. Because Martina also cannot escape the test of time, as he saw in the mirror last season. “I was the only one in the entire athletics team who already had gray hairs in his beard. Isn’t that nice? That’s life, hahaha!”

“I don’t understand why people mind getting older. I really don’t, man. You’re alive, right? That’s important.”

“Now it’s time to enjoy life. Really enjoy it. Those are the only concrete plans I have. I hope that I will soon have so much money in the bank that I can enjoy it without doing much.”

Additional advantage: Martina is satisfied with little. “I don’t need that much. I’m just simple, boy. Really, I don’t care about material things. Why should I?”

“A big car. An expensive watch? I don’t care about it all. You just have to enjoy life. You know, when you go later, you really can’t take those material things with you. And then you also get that people are going to fight to get what you leave behind. No, that’s not necessary for me.”

“If you have it, you have it. If you don’t have it? Then you should also be happy that you are here. That you can breathe. That you are alive.”

He feels happy the way he is in life. “I tell you: all those people who don’t feel as happy as I do should be happy that they are not sick and have to lie in bed all day. Why not enjoy the fact that you are healthy and can do what you want?”

“I sometimes try to convince people that they should look at life differently. When they are angry. Or don’t feel like doing something again. You got out of bed after all, I think. And you don’t need anyone to to take care of you. Well, make something of it!”

“Of course I am angry sometimes. Anyway. Things also happen in my life that make me angry. But something like that lasts for one moment, then it’s over.”

“When was the last time I was angry? I don’t remember, man. I really don’t. It’s over right away. Why should I dwell on it? Life goes on, hahaha. Especially when you can’t change anything about the situation, you have to accept what happens and move on.”

Life is sometimes like being stuck in a traffic jam on the highway, it sounds. “You can get very angry, but that won’t do you any good. Of course you can take the hard shoulder. But then you also have to accept the consequences and pay a hefty fine. Believe me, it’s better to take life as it is.”

The latter works well for him in Curaçao. If Chief Smile Officer, as his name tag states, of a luxurious resort on the island where he was born, all doors swing open for him. “I’m apparently still seen as a hero by many people, yes.”

How does he spend his days? That smile again. That gold tooth again.

“By enjoying it. Every day. Don’t worry, boy. I can keep this up for the rest of my life.”