Simone Biles is considered to be the greatest gymnast of all time. She is considered the ‘American face’ of the 2020 Tokyo olympic games. However, she withdrew from her gymnastics events after stating that she wasn’t mentally in the right space to compete. Later, she revealed that her aunt had passed away during the games. Naomi Osaka lost in the third round of the Tennis event saying that she didn’t know how to cope with the pressure of representing the host country. Novack Djokovic threw a tantrum after losing the bronze medal match in Tennis, then withdrew from the mixed doubles event. Just days before, when asked about how he handles pressure, he said ”pressure is a privilege”, implying that pressure no longer affected him.
Novak Djokovic in Tokyo Olympics (Source from Reuters)
Either way, the athletes’ actions and decisions received both criticism and praise from people and fellow athletes. However, if anythings clear, it’s that Biles has changed the way mental health is dealt and talked about in sport. Redefining what it means to be a great athlete and a team player. Olympic champion Chris Mears (3m synchronised springboard) praised Biles and talked about how now one taught him how to be an olympic champion, having to battle depression.
Simone Biles withdrew from her gymnastics events in 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (Source from Marca)
The difference in reactions to pressure teaches us important lessons, both Biles and Djokovic faced immense pressure, but only one handled it well. Biles could have chosen to compete, but she would have risked serious injury and potentially costing her teammates a medal. Djokovic wasn’t playing at his usual standards, so he threw a tantrum and took the chance away to win from his doubles partner. Either way, both didn’t have it easy, but like Djokovic said, if you want to be at the top, you have to learn how to deal with pressure.
Gold medallist Hong Kong's Cheung Ka Long in men's individual foil during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
To many of us, the Olympics is entertainment, a chance to act like we know everything about a sport we don’t, to criticise and praise athletes, to be pleased or disappointed. They may look like they’re superhuman above all of their great achievements, but we should not forget that they experience the same things we do.
Chinese 
English 
A cultural change? The olympics teaches us a different but important lesson this time
Simone Biles is considered to be the greatest gymnast of all time. She is considered the ‘American face’ of the 2020 Tokyo olympic games. However, she withdrew from her gymnastics events after stating that she wasn’t mentally in the right space to compete. Later, she revealed that her aunt had passed away during the games. Naomi Osaka lost in the third round of the Tennis event saying that she didn’t know how to cope with the pressure of representing the host country. Novack Djokovic threw a tantrum after losing the bronze medal match in Tennis, then withdrew from the mixed doubles event. Just days before, when asked about how he handles pressure, he said ”pressure is a privilege”, implying that pressure no longer affected him.
Either way, the athletes’ actions and decisions received both criticism and praise from people and fellow athletes. However, if anythings clear, it’s that Biles has changed the way mental health is dealt and talked about in sport. Redefining what it means to be a great athlete and a team player. Olympic champion Chris Mears (3m synchronised springboard) praised Biles and talked about how now one taught him how to be an olympic champion, having to battle depression.
The difference in reactions to pressure teaches us important lessons, both Biles and Djokovic faced immense pressure, but only one handled it well. Biles could have chosen to compete, but she would have risked serious injury and potentially costing her teammates a medal. Djokovic wasn’t playing at his usual standards, so he threw a tantrum and took the chance away to win from his doubles partner. Either way, both didn’t have it easy, but like Djokovic said, if you want to be at the top, you have to learn how to deal with pressure.
To many of us, the Olympics is entertainment, a chance to act like we know everything about a sport we don’t, to criticise and praise athletes, to be pleased or disappointed. They may look like they’re superhuman above all of their great achievements, but we should not forget that they experience the same things we do.
Expivotal
做好職涯管理 重拾職涯的主導權
閱讀更多職場上的平等機會
閱讀更多辦公室戀情真的是大忌？心理學深入分析利與弊
閱讀更多最新上架職涯服務
POLAR 工作勝任力評估
$399 加入購物車C1 Career Coaching
$1,180 加入購物車[線上課程] 職場心理學－職涯回顧的最重要一課
$208$158 加入購物車