KIERSTEN DUKE: How do top athletes such as Queensland Origin captain Cam Munster perform while in mourning

Wednesday night’s State of Origin decider will again expose how top athletes continue to perform at their peak while in mourning.

Tributes have flooded in for Steven Munster, who passed away at the age of 58 over the weekend.

Just days before his death he spoke about the desire to see his son captain Queensland to a State of Origin series victory.

It’s with a heavy heart that Cameron Munster will bravely lead the Maroons out and honour his dad in what will be an emotionally charged game.

Since the tragic news, Munster has taken leave from the Origin camp to be with his family.

Watching this sad news unfold made me wonder how they do it. Time and time again we see athletes in all codes experience heartbreaking events and still go on to represent their team. Often even playing out of their skin.

But why is this? How can you possibly perform so well when your heart is so heavy? Granted, I’m not a professional athlete, far from it, but as a presenter, there have been times when I’ve received gut-wrenching news before going on air live.

While on the outside I’ve done my job with a smile, internally I was a mess and know I could have performed better.

I spoke to my partner, Tom Connor, about his experiences as a former Aussie player, and it came down to one main thing. Purpose.

Regularly you see players running out onto the field with writing on their wrist tape. The writing is often the name of a family member or someone who means something immensely to them. So when the game is getting tough and they’re doubting their ability, they can glance down and remember who they’re playing for.

Channelling that emotion in the right way can light a fire in the belly and lift the performance. We witnessed this in round 26 last year when South Sydney Rabbitohs winger Tyrone Munro lost his mother during the week and his uncle on game day.

With a level of strength I can’t even fathom, the then-19-year-old stepped out and had the game of his career scoring two tries.

It was reported that during the lead-up to the game, the youngster was adamant about playing and making his family proud.

Players from EPL champions Liverpool reported back for pre-season training on Tuesday, five days after the death of teammate Diogo Jota. Aged just 28, the young star was married in the weeks prior to his shock death. Scoring 47 goals in 123 matches for Liverpool FC, the striker was globally renowned.

On Friday night there was a minute’s silence in memory of Jota at the FIFA Club World Cup. Two of Jota’s Portuguese teammates Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo were visibly shattered, sobbing into their hands prior to their match.

It’s a bizarre feeling when you lose someone close to you. You wish you could just pause the world and catch your breath, but unfortunately, the world keeps turning.

That’s what they’ve had to do in the Queensland camp. While Munster was given the time and space required with his family, the rest of the team is still training.

As a professional, I have no doubt they will raise hell in Sydney on Wednesday night.

As teammates, the love they have for each other will lift them through this darkness.

It would be a historic victory if the Maroons prevailed in Sydney. No Maroons side in 45 years has lost the first game of the series and won the next two away from home.