High-performance sport has been plagued with cases of athlete maltreatment. A common justification for using potentially harmful practices in sport is that they are believed to elicit performance success. Further, the lack of evidence to show that positive coaching styles (e.g., athlete-centred, autonomy-supportive) can achieve podium success at the international level has created hesitancy for coaches to change their practices. This dissertation intended to address this gap by exploring positive sport experiences on the journey to win medals at international sporting events (e.g., Olympics, Paralympics, World Championships). Using a constructivist approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 Olympic and Paralympic athletes who had won a medal at an Olympic, Paralympic, or Pan American Games, or World Championship, and 11 coaches who had trained athletes to achieve this athletic success. All participants were purposively selected based on information that these athletes had positive sport experiences and that the coaches had created such conditions. Results were analysed through a reflexive thematic analysis. Results were interpreted to suggest that success in sport should be redefined to include: (i) individualized performance metrics; (ii) personal development; (iii) holistic well-being; (iv) athlete satisfaction and joy; and (v) a desire to stay in sport. Common barriers to implementing a successful sport experience included a win-at-all-cost culture and the normalization of maltreatment. The key components of a positive sport experience were: recognizing the individual characteristics of athletes (e.g., hard-working, goal-oriented, internally motivated) and coaches (e.g., happy, chill, humble), a strong coach athlete-relationship (e.g., caring, respectful, trusting, established boundaries), positive coaching techniques (e.g., collaborative, autonomy supportive, individualized), and a positive sport environment (e.g., safe, positive, fun, supports teamwork). Finally, a positive sport experience contributed to performance success through increased enjoyment, motivation, resiliency, longevity in sport, personal development, and feelings of being cared for and about. This dissertation contributes to previous literature by challenging the prominent conceptualization of success being defined by medal count. It demonstrates that a positive sport experience can elicit world-class performance results. It also outlines the attributes of a positive sport experience. These findings support the view that athletes' human rights can be upheld in the process of pursuing athletic excellence.
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