Participating in a competition is always nerve-wracking because you want to be your absolute best. Even though there can only be one or three winners, each participant believes they are serving to win.
It is much more stressful if you are in a competition that demands your physical strength because now the pressure is not only on your body but your mind too.
The online platform of the International Olympic Committee states that the mental health of the athletes has always been a priority for them and that they always feel “the need to support athletes’ well-being, on and off the field of play” to a point that if one of the participants needs a mental health break, they take them off the competition in respect of that.
With the Olympic Games currently taking place in Paris, a few Olympians shared with the IOL publication what preparations they undergo to prepare themselves mentally before stepping into the field.
Nikita Ducarroz, a BMX Freestyle athlete, told the publication that she uses communication, visualisation, music, breathing techniques, and a fun atmosphere to manage her nerves. She further mentioned that she uses PMR, a technique that connects the mind to the body, during training sessions, travel, and competitions.
Another Olympian, Evy Leibfarth, a canoe/kayak racer, informed IOL that she uses mindfulness techniques to focus, using activities like painting and having coffee with friends. According to the mentioned publication, Evy also uses colour breathing to visualise emotions. “She assigns each emotion a colour (red for confidence, blue for anxiety, white for calm, etc.) and visualises breathing in the desired colours and breathing out the unwanted ones.”
The Conversation explains how Olympians master the art of directing their minds before performing which is by resilience and being present. The publication also mentions that by protecting their mental health, the players also avoid post-Olympic blues.
