This World Mental Health Day, we are hearing directly from the athletes.
In elite sport, a healthy mind can equal a healthy body and in recent years, the support around mental health has been a constantly improving system.
From the input of sports psychologists to the help of UK Sport and national governing bodies, athlete’s minds are now considered just as important to care for as their bodies.
With the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games just over 100 days away, we asked some of our bobsleigh and figure skating athletes what they are doing to care for their mental health, ahead of such a big milestone.
Kya Placide (Bobsleigh)
For me, it’s very important that my mind is in order to perform my best. I like to speak to somebody to raise a concern whenever I’m feeling inside my head, because no one else knows how I’m feeling and so it’s very important to communicate it. Speaking to your coach is also a very important one for where a rest day is needed. Your mind is the controller of your body so if your mind’s not right then your body’s not right. If you need a rest day for that, then you need one, that’s how it has to be.
Adele Nicoll (Bobsleigh)
It’s all about setting boundaries to prioritise my mental health. I make sure that I know what drains my energy and what restores my energy, and I need to set those boundaries to keep it smooth and plain sailing.
