Athletes face pressure to perform at Olympic Games

The men’s 10,000m final at the Olympics was thrilling and historic. Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei claimed gold in an Olympic record. Interestingly, he broke the record of his childhood role model, Keninisa Bekele of Ethiopia after 16 years.

Earlier in the day with our neighbours Ethiopia and Uganda, the discussion was the title would go to at least one of the countries. On paper, Ethiopia and Uganda athletes came into the competition with much stronger statistics.

The race in very many ways has shown us how competitive the Olympics are. Watched by a capacity crowd in the 80,000-seater Stade de France,  it was all one could wish for after the very high cost of tickets to the stadium.

The race saw multiple lead changes and shifts in pacing, demonstrating the strategic nature of the championship race. This concluded with an incredibly fast final lap. The top 13 finishers were within the previous Olympic record.

Kenya’s Bernard Kibet came in a respectable fifth position. He maintained a fast pace with the front pack, and was among the top athletes who were separated at the very last second of the race. History is still to be rewritten on Kenya’s long-awaited gold in the 10,000m race.

The Olympic Games represent the pinnacle of athletic competition. It showcases not only the physical prowess, but also the immense psychological and emotional challenges faced by the athletes.

The rigorous demands of training, the pressure to perform, and the physical toll of competition contribute to the fact that the Olympics is a tough arena for athletes.

Injuries are a significant concern for the athletes. The worst experience any athlete can get is getting injured during the games. Certain sports have higher rates of injuries than others.

Based on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Boxing had the highest injury rate followed by sport climbing, skateboarding, and BMX bicycle competitions.

The training regime for Olympic athletes is grueling. This starts at a very early age and goes all through to the Olympics. One of the reasons we minimise interaction with athletes before their competition is concerning the training regime and rituals before major competitions. The training naturally causes significant wear and tear on the body. The training achieves the highest level of performance.

Perhaps beyond the physical, the mental and emotional pressures of competition at the Olympics are the highest challenge. For a country like Kenya especially where expectations are very high irrespective of the statistics behind each event or the level of preparation or previous competition.

Athletes face intense scrutiny from the public which increases the feelings of anxiety and sometimes self-doubt. 

The experience of losing or not meeting personal expectations can lead to significant emotional distress. The conversation around mental wellness has gained traction since the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

This is to underscore the importance of psychological challenges that accompany the physical demands of elite competition. Just this week, I have learnt that one of the most disappointing positions to finish at is fourth.

The Olympics are a testament to human endurance both physically and mentally. The combination of rigorous training and the psychological pressures faced by athletes create a unique challenging environment.

Kenya is an athletics country with a rich heritage of great performance at the Olympics. This week will present us with another opportunity to maintain and claim that enviable position. Knowing the pressure our athletes are undergoing helps to manage our expectations and to give them full support.

We look forward to Kenyans encouraging athletes and cheering them on. When they achieve their best, it may give us a medal or just go down in record as their best performance ever like Bernard Kibet. For each of them, we cheer!