From CWG Failure to BAFTA Glory, The Inspiring Journey of Triathlon World Champion Lesley Paterson

From the frustration of not qualifying for the Commonwealth Games to changing into a world triathlete champion after which successful a BATFA award for the Best Adapted Screenplay for an anti-war film this month, the journey of Lesley Paterson is nothing brief of an awe-inspiring story in itself.

On Sunday, Paterson took house the distinguished award for her adaption of Erich Maria Remarque’s anti-war novel All Quiet on the Western Front printed in 1929, a screenplay she co-wrote with Ian Stokell. It took the duo a whopping 16 years to flip their work right into a characteristic movie.

And it was definitely worth the wait. The film on the experiences of a younger German soldier in the course of the First World War received seven awards total on the BAFTA.

Paterson, born in Stirling (Scotland), was launched to triathlon by her father when she was 14. After exhibiting immense promise that noticed her successful  bronze and silver on the 1998 and 2000 Duathlon World Championships respectively, she started dreaming of making it to the Olympics sooner or later. However, she took retirement from the game itself after failing to qualify for the 2002 CWG, a growth she considers the ‘lowest moment’ of her life.

A transfer to USA adopted the place she started afresh together with her husband Simon Marshall in California. She did her masters in theatre and started focusing on writing for movies.

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A go to to Scotland in 2007 resulted in Paterson rediscovering her love for triathlon as she took half and received the Scottish National Championships race.

And then she went on to win 5 world championships – ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships gold medals in 2012 and 2018 whereas three gold medals at XTERRA Triathlon World Championships in 2011, 2012 and 2018.

While she was dominating triathlon occasions, Paterson concurrently was engaged on realising her adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front right into a characteristic movie alongside her husband and Stokell.

“Dealing with adversity teaches you a lot and makes you rather more resilient for the long run. Sport is an train in resiliency and so is movie,” the 42-year-old told The Scotsman.

“I knew I had confidence and realised I had to find my own way to the top and not be manufactured by a system. I think that’s why I got success. Alongside being a professional athlete, I was always writing, producing, having those creative juices bubbling away at the same time,” she added.

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