Question: Does it help an athlete to have a large number of his own supporters in the audience?

Sri Chinmoy: Not necessarily. It depends on the sincerity of these so-called supporters. When I was a champion runner in my youth, even my so-called friends took malicious pleasure in the thought that I would lose. After a few years, only God was on my side. Before the race my friends would say, "Chinmoy, you must win." But in their minds they thought, "I hope you lose." They would have got such joy if I had lost. The members of my family and a few very close friends did not do that. The rest of the people liked me and loved me, but at the time of competition they wanted somebody else to win. But what could they do? God's Will prevailed and I always won.