How Olympic Athletes Prepare for the Big Day
Intro:
As we all know the Olympics is one of the greatest sporting events in history hosting the most skilled athletes in the world. These athletes dedicate years to perfecting their craft, undergoing rigorous training competing in an event they’ve perfected to the finest, and spending years and years training for it all leading to the big day. We can only imagine how all this stress, anxiety, and unhealthy determination can lead to a person's mental state and well-being deteriorating. Encouraged by peers, coaches, and fans to always be “the best of the best” no matter what, athletes face immense both external and internal pressure. We will dive into the realistic world behind the scenes of these prodigies' minds and mental states.
Simon Biles- Gymnast:
During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Japan, Simon Biles made the heartbreaking decision to not participate in the Olympics. The Olympian stood up for herself, explaining that the pressure was just too much, and how she was not in the best head space during that time to continue participating in her events. This decision drew a lot of attention as it shed light on mental health issues in the Olympic world and how all these athletes are being affected and they are all human beings with minds of their own. Simon Biles also mentioned how the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had caused her to contract an immense amount of stress as she wasn’t able to train as usual and wasn’t sure of the future outcomes for her career because of it.
Naomi Osaka- tennis player:
As a 23-year-old tennis player, Naomi has been heavily involved in advocacy work for equality, racial justice, social change, and empowerment of all female athletes. Recently she has taken a stand during the French Open as she highlighted the subject of mental health challenges by declining to speak to reporters. Although she was fined $15,000 for not fulfilling media commitments, she continued to put her mental health first by taking a break from competitions before competing in the 2020 Olympics as she has been revealed to have had depression and anxiety. Now she advocates that it is “OK, to NOT be OK”.
Michael Phelps- Swimmer:
Michael Phelps, widely regarded as one of the most dedicated and talented Olympic athletes in history, has been candid about his struggles with severe depression. Like Simon Biles, Michael Phelps was once the face of the Olympics and experienced unique challenges, which he discussed in his 2020 documentary The Weight of Gold. In this documentary, Phelps illustrates how he overcame his depression and mental health challenges during his Olympic career. He also expressed that he had suicidal thoughts and struggled with substance abuse in the past. Michael is now a big advocate for mental health awareness, emphasizing the importance of therapy and its benefits.
Conclusion:
Mental health is equally important as physical health, and it is important to speak up and face your problems as you don’t know the lasting effects it could be leaving in your everyday life. It is also important to recognize the struggle these hardworking and dedicated athletes have to go through as they face both peer and self-pressure. Therapy can also be an important healing factor as it can be more beneficial to talk and let out your problems with someone who is trained and can help you get the proper resources and strategies to overcome these challenges.
Sources:
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Fendrich, Howard. “Naomi Osaka Returns to the US Open for a Discussion about Mental Health with Michael Phelps.” AP News, AP News, 3 Nov. 2023, apnews.com/article/naomi-osaka-michael-phelps-mental-health-878f8e5f855db84d607dd1eb2996d6b9.
Olympic Gymnast Shawn Johnson Shares Miscarriage Experience In ..., www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/10/23/olympic-gymnast-shawn-johnson-shares-miscarriage-experience-in-emotional-video/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024.
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