Gallery: Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Maicel Uibo talk sports on Hommik Anuga
In an appearance on Sunday's episode of weekly morning program Hommik Anuga, 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championship silver medalists Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Maicel Uibo spoke with host Anu Välba about their recent historic double medal and how they support one another as athletes.
Looking back to the championship in Doha, Qatar, on Oct. 4, decathlete Uibo recalled that the happiest moment of the event for him was when he crossed the finish line following the 1500 meter run and saw his wife, runner Miller-Uibo, already waiting there, Bahamian flag in hand. Miller-Uibo had just earned silver in the 400 meter run with a new personal best time of 48.37.
"I saw that she had finally run a time that she had long since been hoping to achieve, and all of that hard work had finally paid off," he said.
Miller-Uibo was late to her own press conference as well, as she wanted to see the end of her husband's race. She admitted that they were naturally a bit disappointed not to each have earned gold, but acknowledged that this was still an extraordinary experience for them.
The Bahamian had earned gold in the same event in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio with a time of 49.44.
"I was on the massage table when I refreshed Shaunae's results page and saw," Uibo said. "48.3 is a really good time. Would be nice to run that myself someday. The 400 is unfortunately my weakest event right now. Starting off with a 48 might give me good bonus points." The Estonian athlete's best time in the event is 50.1.
Miller-Uibo believed her husband is actually capable of earning a better time, as he has occasionally outdone her during training as well. She noted that the two of them are constantly together as a married couple and as athletes, and often get very competitive too, but added that they are nonetheless very supportive of one another.
"We encourage one another do always do our best," she added.
Home in the Bahamas
While the two train primarily in the U.S., the couple's home is in the Bahamas. Nonetheless, Miller-Uibo has already learned some simpler words and numbers in Estonian.
They can't spend much time in Estonia, as the transatlantic flight is a long one and their training group is located in Florida. Miller-Uibo said, however, that even despite the cold, she wouldn't mind living in Estonia.
Neither athlete uses any pain medicines for colds or headaches; they rely on natural remedies to ensure that there is no chance whatsoever that they might test positive for anything. Athletes are regularly tested for doping, and Miller-Uibo recalled one week where she was tested as much as five times in a row.
"I'm a very family-oriented person, and I've always told [Uibo] that I want at least five kids," Miller-Uibo said, adding that one day, after they had wrapped up their athletic careers, they would be sure to have kids.
Asked by Välba where they'd like to raise them, the couple couldn't say yet whether they'd prefer Estonia or the Bahamas.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla