The following article mentions mental health struggles, suicidal thoughts, sexual abuse, and eating disorders.
Being an Olympian is no joke.
Take Olympic gymnasts, for example.
The biggest names in the sport, includingSimone Biles and Aly Raisman, have been vocal about their struggles.
Like all mortals, they are susceptible to malady.
Of course, gymnasts aren’t the only athletes who experience significant health issues.
A number of Olympians across sports have opened up about their own mental and physical well-being.
He was left him paralyzed from the waist down.
The gymnast also faced her own health struggle years later when she was diagnosed with an incurable kidney disease.
“Getting diagnosed with kidney disease turned the world that I knew upside-down.
This gold medallist continues to persevere.
She is largely considered the one to beat, even by her own teammates.
However, things got a little complicated for Biles during the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021.
“I don’t twist (on tour).
I do double-lay half-outs, which is my signature move on the floor.
That’s never affected me.
“I’m still scared to do gymnastics.”
Farah became a star not only because of his incredible natural talent but because of the adversity he overcame.
Farah went on to inspire millions with his story and remains a beloved athlete in Britain and beyond.
In 2014, Farah had to be airlifted to the hospital after he collapsed in his bathroom.
The father of three recalled the incident at the time, speaking to theBBC.
“I had a tooth taken out, and it got infected.
I went for a run, came back, and collapsed,” he said.
“I was in so much pain from my stomach …
They thought something was going on with my heart.”
Fortunately, it was nothing as serious as a heart attack.
She detailed two hospitalizations where she found herself unable to remember things and or speak properly.
“I can’t remember my name.
I’m slurring my words.
I can barely speak.
Both times, I was tested for a stroke because I literally couldn’t move my body.
It was so scary,” she told Cooper.
She competed in the 1964 games, bringing home the gold medal.
Later on in life, Fleming revealed that she had breast cancer.
In 1998, she discovered a lump on her breast, just five months after she had a mammogram.
“I think my life experiences really came into play.
I wanted to win.
I wanted to beat this,” she said.
Thankfully, after undergoing an operation to remove the cancerous tissue, Fleming was cancer-free.
“I felt I really needed to share this,” she told the Los Angeles Times.
“I think it really helped me, and now I want to help others.”
Fleming also noted that catching it early made a big difference to how fast she was able to recover.
In October 2023, sheposteda series of photographs of herself receiving hospital treatment.
“Hopefully, you had a hot girl summer because I definitely did not,” she wrote.
“I had a summer of severe insomnia.
I slept a total of 10 days out of 3 months.
I’d like to say it was a nightmare, but you have to sleep to have nightmares.”
Maroney explained that she went to multiple doctors and eventually discovered that she has a histamine intolerance.
Maroney ended by saying that she hoped her openness about her ill-health might help someone else.
“Being an athlete, you’re supposed to be strong and be able to push through anything.
My struggles carried on through my career, and I hid them well,” he said.
However, there was a time when that wasn’t the case.
Many contenders in the sport have spoken out about their issues with disorders, including Olympic gymnast Kim Bui.
The German athlete retired in 2022 but went on to discuss her problems in anInstagrampost in February 2023.
“For many, this is a taboo subject,” she wrote.
“In the past, I suffered from an eating disorder bulimia.
I was athletic and thin but not so suspicious.”
Henrich was just 22 when she died in 1994 from anorexia.
She was 32 years old.
Bowie’s daughter, named Ariana, was stillborn.
“She was an overcomer and a victor.”
As seven-time gold medalist Allyson Felix wrote inTime, “Serena Williams had near-death complications during her pregnancy.
But oftentimes, we need that wake-up call.”
He still won the gold.
In 1994, Louganis came out as gay.
Louganis also had fears, especially after he cut his head on the board.
He continues to advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness and champion LGBTQIA+ causes.
What’s more, he’s watched his sport become more accepting.
“There is much more sensitivity, and people are much more open.
Just look at how many athletes have come out now,” he toldESPNin 2016.
