British Heptathlete Kelly Sotherton was 100% positive she’d win gold at the Beijing Olympics, so much so she was prepared to take a polygraph test to prove it.
The new campaign by NikeLab sets out to compare her strong stated beliefs with her physiological responses.
Kelly is interviewed on camera by Dr Hilary Witchel, a leading Psycho-Physiologist from Bristol University, while wired to a polygraph machine. Dr Witchel leads Kelly through a series of leading questions to detect how in sync her body and mind actually are.
One of the questions Dr Witchel asks:
Will you win gold?
Kelly’s firm reply:
Yes, I will win gold in Beijing.
The results of the “lie-detector” test show her confidence is absolute and that she’s 100% ready for Beijing.
The study has a mixed ending. Kelly finished 5th overall and not only failed to win the gold medal she boldly predicted, but came home without a silver or bronze too. Her reply to the disappointing outcome? Cancel her retirement and continue with the dream of gold – first up the World Championships next year in Berlin and following that, who knows….
Kelly Sotherton: Going For Gold is a sponsored post.