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Superstar gymnast Simone Biles says her improving physical skills that have enabled her to compete in her third Olympics are due to her rigorous focus on mental health, which has long been a taboo subject in elite sport.
“Every Thursday I go to my therapist. It’s like a religious ritual for me,” Biles said shortly after winning the all-around title at the U.S. trials. “That’s why I’m here today.”
Mental health is as much of a concern as strength and conditioning for elite athletes, who have long struggled silently with expectations, anxiety and fear of failure for fear of appearing weak.
Biles, who won four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, withdrew from most of the Tokyo Olympics three years ago because of mental health issues and what gymnasts call “distorted” spatial orientation. Some people sympathized with her, but many critics saw her as a dropout who cost the United States gold.
Biles’ French coach, Cecile Landy, said a decision by such a high-profile athlete could help to remove the stigma – a boon for athletes in all sports.
“I think it used to be almost shameful to talk to a therapist,” Randy said. “You had problems, and she had problems.”
Instead, she said: “It helps all athletes.
“It’s not about having problems. It’s really about being proactive and making sure you’re the best athlete and the best person you can be by working hard.”
Mental health has gone from being something “a little embarrassing to talk about” to being recognized as a key factor in athletic achievement, Landy said.
Sports federations and governing bodies have responded by providing resources and adding mental health professionals to their workforces.
In Paris, the national team staff of around 90 will include qualified mental health officers, while organisers have also provided a range of amenities designed to promote mental health.
Swimming superstar Michael Phelps has spoken openly about his struggles after his Olympic success, saying in 2018 that he fell into a “severe depression” after each Olympics.
Yet even when an athlete looks ready to dominate on the biggest stage, doubts and demons can strike.
Just one year after winning five gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, American swimmer Caeleb Dressel has abruptly withdrawn from the 2022 Swimming World Championships for unspecified medical reasons.
He then describes the mental toll that comes from striving for perfection.
Dressel, who has been away from track and field for nearly a year, now heads to Paris looking to defend two of the three individual gold medals he won in Tokyo.
Teammate Regan Smith credits Emily Klueh, a former top swimmer who now swims for USA Swimming, with helping her revive her career.
– I was scared at first –
In 2019, at the age of 17, Smith set world records in both the 100m and 200m backstroke.
But due to a crisis of confidence and a decline in form, she only won two silver medals and a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics postponed due to the epidemic.
The 22-year-old, who is currently training with Phelps’ former coach Bob Bowman, said the decision to change coaches and consult with a mental health professional has helped her get back to her best form.
She recaptured the world record in the 100-meter backstroke at the U.S. Olympic trials.
“I was scared at first,” Smith said of her decision to seek treatment. “I was scared to ask for help, and then I finally spoke up and realized what I had been missing out on for so long.”
Freestyle sprinter Jack Alexie is about to make his Olympic debut, but he has not sought help from a psychiatrist, even though he believes mental health is “a big part of success” in a sport where months or even years of preparation can end up lasting only a minute.
“A year and a half ago I started actively journaling, putting my thoughts on paper, analyzing my preparation process and what I was doing in and out of the pool,” he said.
“That laid the foundation for my success over the past two years. I think it’s just as important to check the mental side as the physical side.”
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