“Gold Medal Is More Important Than Your Well-Being”: Guy Discusses How Toxic The Sports World Can Be After Rewatching Kerri Strug’s Performance At The ’96 Olympics

There are some things in life that bring all people together and inspire them with a strong sense of belonging. And even though watching sports games and all sorts of competitions doesn’t make us professionals, it is nice to be around cheerful people and feel a part of something bigger. People love to get involved, support their country and a certain player. However, there is a lot we don’t know that is happening behind closed doors.

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The Tokyo Olympics remind us how important it is for people to support their favorite athletes

Image credits: Byron Heath

The Tokyo Olympics is one of the most awaited events, gathering the best sports professionals from all around the world. So it was major news when acclaimed gymnast Simone Biles decided to withdraw from the Olympics team final because she was worried about her health.

This situation started a discussion about what it takes for athletes to make it to the top and when it’s the right time to take a break.

Facebook user Byron Heath wrote a post after Simone Biles’ news, remembering another great gymnast and her career

Image credits: Byron Heath

After news about Simone Biles flew around the Internet, Facebook user Byron Heath shared his thoughts on the whole situation by reminding people of another star gymnast, Kerri Strug, a then-18-year-old athlete who won a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics. A lot of people still remember her and her famous one-leg vault. The video shows how she jumps and lands badly on her ankle. People see that Kerri is hurt, but she stands up and jumps again, winning the gold medal. Everyone is cheering as she is picked up by her coach because she can’t even walk. The injury made her retire.

Being an adult, Byron understood how wrong it was for Kerri’s coach to let her jump again

Image credits: Byron Heath

In his post, Byron compares the way he saw this for the very first time and now when he has two daughters of his own. He stated that he was one of those people who cheered for Kerri because she pushed through despite the trauma and won. For a lot of viewers, this was an inspiring and exciting moment. However, in today’s context, the author of the post admitted that this wasn’t necessary and that this girl was made to sacrifice her whole career for a single medal.

Image credits: Byron Heath

Is it really worth it for athletes to risk their physical and mental health for such fame? It seems that recent context divided people into two camps: the ones who are horrified by how much these young athletes are pressured and those who say that they should be honored to be given a chance to compete for their country.

One thing is clear: Simone’s example and the way society reacts to it brings hope that things are about to change. What do you think about this situation? Leave your thoughts in the comments down below!

Image credits: Byron Heath

People online support Simone Biles and her choice to step back and focus on herself

The post "Gold Medal Is More Important Than Your Well-Being": Guy Discusses How Toxic The Sports World Can Be After Rewatching Kerri Strug's Performance At The '96 Olympics first appeared on Bored Panda.