For some athletes, 2022 supplied the possibility to comply with up the Tokyo Olympics in spectacular model. For others, nonetheless, issues haven’t been fairly so simple.
When Holly Bradshaw returned from Japan with a bronze medal, it was the fruits of years of exhausting work. It represented reaching the top of her sport. The unusual factor was that, when she got here dwelling, the British pole vault record-holder discovered herself missing in power and motivation.
She remembers the autumn of 2021: “I achieved one thing that I needed to realize my complete life however, after I returned dwelling, I had no power and felt down for an excellent few months.
“I’d simply lie on the couch and get upset for no purpose, which isn’t like me in any respect. My husband would say: ‘What’s mistaken?’ And I couldn’t inform him as a result of I didn’t know something was mistaken and I couldn’t clarify it.”
Holly Bradshaw (Mark Shearman)
Bradshaw was recovering from glandular fever but in addition thinks she was affected by “post-Olympic blues” and is decided to assist others perceive it and see safeguards put in place.
Her curiosity within the topic resulted within the publication of a tutorial paper* which begins: “The post-Olympic interval is complicated and distressing for a lot of Olympic athletes; making ready for the doubtless impacts of the Olympic Video games amongst returning athletes is key in managing the unfavourable responses articulated because the post-Olympic blues.”
Whereas an Olympic pole vault competitors is, at face worth, no totally different from a World Championships, the hype surrounding it takes issues to a brand new degree and creates far more strain on the athlete.
There’s, what researchers have referred to as, the “celebritisation” of Olympic athletes, in a method that doesn’t occur with the World Championships. The Olympics is all the time within the information. Every part appears to be in regards to the Olympics. Athletes are invited to a kitting-out ceremony to obtain the total vary of GB logoed clothes, whereas particular person sponsors make a fuss of the athletes and on the Video games they obtain presents.
“A great deal of issues are thrown at you to make you’re feeling particular,” says Bradshaw, whose 2022 was blighted by harm. “You’re feeling that you simply’re a part of one thing actually particular and that’s nice. However then there may be that stark comparability if you come dwelling and you don’t have anything. And that’s tough for athletes.
“My expertise, and that of a whole lot of different athletes I believe, is consistently listening to ‘you’re superb, you might be particular, going to the Olympics’ after which the day you get dwelling and it’s nothing – no assist.”
Holly Bradshaw celebrates in Tokyo (Getty)
There’s additionally what has been referred to as the “commodification” of athletes. On the Rio Olympics, Bradshaw got here fifth however felt like she was a failure or, moderately, felt that different individuals noticed her as such.
“I felt I’d finished a very good job ending fifth and I used to be actually joyful however it appeared that no person actually cared. Nobody mentioned ‘effectively finished, superb effort’ or something like that. I felt I got here dwelling to being a failure as a result of I didn’t win a medal.
“For me, that was actually exhausting as a result of I assumed I’d finished an excellent job. Everyone knows that everybody needs to exit and do a PB and win a medal however that needn’t be your sole purpose. And for me, altering that mentality to ‘I’m doing it as a result of I find it irresistible. I’m doing it as a result of it’s enjoyable’ has helped me to be happier and to remain within the sport.
“It’s within the tradition of sport that you’re there to win and that’s hammered dwelling. However there aren’t many organisations on the market which promote an intrinsic tradition. Some sports activities have a ‘what it takes to win’ mannequin and I believe that’s what’s mistaken with sport. Maybe a greater motto could be ‘be one of the best ready, one of the best supported athletes on the market’.”
Within the paper, Bradshaw cites the instance of seats on the aircraft dwelling from the Olympics being allotted by efficiency, with medal winners on the entrance and “losers” on the again – even when these “losers” had achieved a PB or reached the ultimate of their occasions – as one thing which “sends the mistaken message about what sport is about”.
One in all Bradshaw’s options is the appointment of a welfare or care officer, there with the only real purpose of guaranteeing that everybody is okay. Somebody “to assist individuals however not in a sports activities psychology capability however simply as somebody who may hear, assist and provides recommendation”. This was tried on the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Holly Bradshaw (Mark Shearman)
Bradshaw additionally feels it is vital that the care officer shouldn’t be the staff sports activities psychologist. Her analysis discovered that a whole lot of athletes have been very hesitant about chatting with the staff psychologist as a result of they have been questioning “is that this dialog confidential or will or not it’s fed again to administration?”
Bradshaw additionally believes extra use could possibly be fabricated from former athletes in supportive or mentoring roles. “For instance, former European champion, James Dasaolu has simply retired. He could possibly be a assist to younger up and coming sprinters,” she says.
“I’d like to see an organised peer to look athlete assist group with the involvement of British Athletics and with some funding. I believe it was Roger Black who just lately mentioned in AW that he doesn’t perceive why he has by no means been requested to assist.”
» Holly Bradshaw, Karen Howells & Mathijs Lucassen (2022) Deserted to handle the post-Olympic blues: Olympians mirror on their experiences and the necessity for a change, Qualitative Analysis in Sport, Train and Well being will be discovered at tandfonline.com
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