My God, how sad! This Monday (9), at the age of 24, New Zealand cyclist Olivia Podmore died. The family found the athlete’s body at home in the city of Christchurch, but did not give details about the cause. The first investigations by the authorities indicate that the young woman committed suicide. Hours earlier, she had made a social media outburst about the pressure athletes face in their lives.
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“Sport is an incredible outlet for so many people, it’s a fight, but it’s so joyful. The feeling when you win is unlike any other, but the feeling when you lose, when you’re not selected — even when you qualify — when you’re hurt, when you don’t meet society’s expectations, like owning a house, marriage, children, all because [você] he’s trying to give his all to his sport, it’s also different from any other”, wrote in the publication, which has already been deleted.
In 2016, Olivia Podmore was in Rio de Janeiro representing New Zealand at the Olympics. However, she failed to qualify to participate in the games in Tokyo, which came to an end last Sunday (8). The news was announced to the young woman’s colleagues just as they were about to leave for home. The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) has issued a press release honoring the cyclist.
“We offer our deepest condolences to family, friends and others in the New Zealand community who are suffering from this loss. We are providing wellness support for your team members and the broader team as we return home from Tokyo. Olivia has represented New Zealand with honor and pride at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. She was a valued member of the team and her loss will be felt throughout the entire New Zealand sporting community.”, shared.
Coincidentally, the mental health of athletes was an important issue at the Olympics. The award-winning American gymnast Simone Biles gave up participating in the disputes, and was quite honest about the reasons. “I think mental health is more important in sports right now. We have to protect our minds and our bodies, not just go out and do what the world wants us to do”, said.
IMPORTANT: If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional difficulties or is considering suicide, call the ‘Life Appreciation Center’ on the number 188. CVV provides emotional support, voluntarily and free of charge to all people who want and need to talk, under total confidentiality by phone, email and chat 24 hours every day. For more information, Click here.
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