Q&A for How to Become an Olympian

If you're willing to work hard and push yourself for it, it's quite possible. While 20 years is a bit younger than the average in recent years, some people younger than you have competed and even won medals in the past.

Train, train, train! Get a coach and start with local competitions then progress to regionals and nationals! The committee will notice you if have a significant win or streak.

It comes down to many things, like how good you are and if you can be ready to devote your life to it.

Not for going, unless you are sponsored. You get paid when you win a medal. For track and field, you get paid for going to the Olympics.

It depends on which sport you enjoy playing. Only choose a sport you're willing to spend a lot of your life training for. If you can't think of anything that meets those requirements, you're better off focusing on something else.

Absolutely. If you love being in the water and you want to dedicate your life to it, go for it.

Absolutely! You have a long way to go, so starting to practice at age 13 would be a smart idea.

There is no specific lower age limit set for the Olympics generally; the international federation for each sport has its own restrictions. For example, the minimum age for boxing is 17; for figure skating, 15; for wrestling, 17; and so forth.

Workout hard. You can't just want it; you need to earn it. Put everything after boxing, except school. You should also consider getting a trainer who specializes in Olympians.

No, if you have a natural gift and an interest in dedicating your life to training for an event, that's not too late at all.

No, it's never too late! Get your parents involved, though, so they can support you.

To get into the Olympics, you must be 16 or turning 16. There is no age limit after that.

It would be very difficult, but if you're naturally talented at fencing, maintain motivation and a positive attitude, and dedicate your life to training, it could be possible.

Depending on the distance, you will need to run at least 3-4 days a week, with at least one long run. There should be 2-3 "easy runs" that will allow your body to recover: the length of these will vary depending on the distance you are training for.

Find someone with experience. A good coach will push you hard and won't let you give up.

Practice every day and pair up with the best coach in your area to train.

Your parents are right when they say studies come first. Going into the Olympics is extremely difficult, and only a few do make it. Doing well in school will help if your Olympic dream doesn't work out, or if you're aiming to make some cash to afford whatever you need as an Olympian.

You definitely have a chance! You will have to practice a lot, of course, so get started.

It's unlikely - very few people do, and there are no guarantees in life. But the harder you work, the higher your chances.

The IOC ruled it out for the 2016 Rio Olympics, but are hoping to introduce it to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, as well as softball.

That's a very lofty goal. You should go for it and speak to your instructor about your aspirations.

It depends on how dedicated you are and how much you train. Getting into the Olympics is seriously difficult, and nothing is guaranteed. The only thing you can do is continue training and dedicating time to your sport to increase your chances of being able to go to the Olympics.

You will have to come up with a balance between work and school, depending on your schedule. That may require that you practice before and after your classes, along with time on the weekends, to ensure that you get in as much practice as possible.

Consistency is the key.The best thing you can do is put in the work and train every day.

Contact your sport's NGB (National Governing Body); they may offer connections to coaches in your area. Coaches aren't like McDonald's or Starbucks -- there's not one on every corner just waiting for you to walk through their door. Most coaches are registered with your sport's governing body.

14 is quite a young age, and 6 years is a lot of time. If you're willing to dedicate yourself to playing this sport every week, training, eating right, and sleeping right, you could definitely make it. Making it is all about how willing you are to follow a good, balanced schedule that incorporates all aspects related to the sport, and everything else in your life.

Swimming requires endless hours of training, so while you'll have time for both, you won't have time for much else. You'll have to decide if training to be an Olympian is more important to you than a thriving social life, because most likely you'll only be able to have one (aside from the friends you might make while swimming).

There are not a lot of chances, but if that is what you really want and you give your all, there is no reason not to try.

Not really, lots of curling athletes are in the 30-60 age range. In addition to curling, older athletes might opt to compete in shooting/archery competitions.

You must be sixteen years of age.