In 2020, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles shocked viewers worldwide when she withdrew from the U.S. women’s gymnastics team final, at the 2020 Olympic Games, citing mental health issues. While U.S. Gymnastics said in a statement that Biles, 24, pulled out due to a “medical issue,” Biles stepped up to clarify that she had been struggling mentally “[feeling] the weight of the world on [her] shoulders” and that she felt affected by the pressure of the Olympics. Her brave decision and statement beckoned an underlying pain-point in the sports community—with the issue of mental health being on the backburn. “I say put mental health first. Because if you don’t, then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to succeed as much as you want to. So it’s okay sometimes to even sit out the big competitions to focus on yourself, because it shows how strong of a competitor and person that you really are—rather than just battle through it,” said Biles following the news.
Honing into our local sports scene, that while small, the immense pressure is too, prevalent here. Where every sportsman faces the same struggles, news critics, hours of gruelling training and burnout, while carrying the prestige and namesake of being a national athlete. To shed light on the salient subject, Vogue Singapore speaks to a few of our homegrown sportsmen, both past and present, on their experiences as well as the importance of prioritising mental health amidst crunch time.
U.K. Shyam, retired Singaporean track and field athlete and current national 100m record holder of Singapore
On his experience as an athlete:
It was an intense, bittersweet one. On one hand, it gave me a deep sense of meaning and purpose, and took me away from my parent’s divorce and emptiness at home. It was also a constructive way to express my frustrations and anger at the cards life had dealt me. At the same time, because it was so much a part of my identity, it sometimes consumed me. When I faced unkind naysayers and critics, it broke me, especially when I was under so much public scrutiny via the media.
On the importance of mental health in the competitive sports space:
As athletes often have to be very intense and almost obsessive in their dedication to their craft, this intensity can often go overboard into something unhealthy. Self-doubt and the acceptance of failure along the way are things that are not easy to deal with, especially when many athletes tend to be perfectionists. Public and media scrutiny can also be very pressurising. As such, they need to be sensitised to their emotional states, in tune with their feelings and be able to take the immense pressure. Also, many athletes who retire or have to give up the sport often cannot deal with the void that is left behind and may struggle to find new meaning and purpose. I feel that the importance of meaning in one’s life is not just something athletes cling on to, it is a central part of our humanity.
A piece of advice for athletes today—when it comes to striking a balance between performance and self-care:
Don’t be too hard on yourself, and never let self-doubt rule you. It’s always important to speak with a mentor who can be a source of emotional support and provide you with some perspective. Physical performance is always tied to our emotional well-being, thus never downplay the importance of mental health. An athlete has to be a lethal combination of emotional intensity during training and be calm and clinical when executing a performance in competitions.
Yip Pin Xiu, Paralympic swimmer
On her experience as an athlete:
I’ve been training competitively for the last 18 years. It’s more than half of my life and it definitely did take a toll on my mental health. The hardest thing is being consistent. People always ask what is your motivation to continue training and I can tell you honestly, I’m not motivated all the time. There are days where I wake up extremely spirited and ready to hit the pool, and there are also other days that I’m so tired and I want to continue sleeping. And that’s where discipline, resilience and the grit comes in so that I can continue training. I think athletes are especially hard on themselves, because we seek performance at the end of the day and we all have goals that we want to hit. But I also think it’s a product of what we’ve been through.
On the importance of mental health in the competitive sports space:
There was a point in time in 2019 that I was paired with a coach who didn’t really suit my needs and my timings dropped drastically. And I think as an athlete, I really tied myself to my performance. I would wake up in the middle of the night, worry, cry and have anxiety while losing sleep. But from this I knew that I had to not put so much on myself, not tie my performance to my self-worth. To try to be more than be more than just a swimmer so that was a period of time I was just working on myself.
I think it’s important for anybody to be aware of mental health issues because it is so prevalent. It’s not just about depression, it could just be about simple things like having anxiety. Just like how we take care of our body by going to the gym, we also need to take care of our minds. To take a breather, practice mindfulness.
A piece of advice for athletes today—when it comes to striking a balance between performance and self-care:
When you train really hard, you have to sleep right and eat right. Take some time from your daily routine to connect with yourself and reflect on the things that you’re doing well. Performance and self-care should go hand in hand, it’s not one or the other. To be an athlete for the long run, these two have to come together.
Brandon Ooi, national canoeist
On his experience as an athlete:
Personally I think that similar to my physical health, trying to push my limits everyday applies to the mental aspect as well. So I don’t see it so much as taking a toll rather than moulding and developing my mental health. There are definitely days where it sucks and there isn’t any motivation to train, a loss of hope, or just wondering if I’m enough. However, in the overall scheme of things I’m doing what I love to do and these rough days are just making my mental resilience stronger.
On the importance of mental health in the competitive sports space:
I think it’s really important because people in competitive sports are constantly pushed to their limits and when that happens, your mind is always tested. I feel that everyone is different and hence, deal with problems differently. We all need to be aware of the signs of mental health issues so that we can tackle them before they develop into something serious.
Nurul Suhalia, national silat practitioner
On her experience as an athlete:
I’ve been a national athlete since I was 11 years old, and have been doing it full-time for about five years now. Because I spend almost all my time training, I tend to neglect other aspects of my well-being that needs attention. The pressure, losses and criticism that I’ve experienced over the years have definitely taken a toll on me. I also find myself judging my self-worth by my achievements, which is detrimental to my mental health.
On the importance of mental health in the competitive sports space:
Most are afraid to speak up and ask for help because we’re expected to be mentally tough all the time. But being aware of my emotions and allowing myself to be vulnerable without shame has helped me tremendously and I wish for others to stay human and stay connected that way. We can help others just by talking about it.
A piece of advice for athletes today—when it comes to striking a balance between performance and self-care:
Don’t be ashamed of needing a break, your mental health is as important as your physical health.
Martina Lindsay Veloso, national shooter
On her experience as an athlete:
As an athlete, I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs. Of course it did take a toll of my mental health but as I matured, I took every bad competition as a learning opportunity on how I can improve and better myself the next round. Being an athlete at a high level taught me resilience and this was not taught overnight and it’s something that was instilled over the years.
On the importance of mental health in the competitive sports space:
I wouldn’t say it’s just for people in the competitive sports space to be aware of because mental health is something everyone experiences. In the past, there used to be a lot of stigma against mental health towards athletes as we are always expected to have a “strong” image. It has now got better over the years with more athletes sharing their mental health experiences. In addition, Sport Singapore has committed to the Safe Sport Programme, which is a good step forward for all athletes.
A piece of advice for athletes today—when it comes to striking a balance between performance and self-care:
Never tie your self-worth to your performance. Have fun and enjoy the journey you’re on. We are so much more than our medals.
