Placeholder Content Image

The psychology of retirement: why do so many athletes struggle to call time?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-tillott-1462234">Sarah Tillott</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/diarmuid-hurley-1462235">Diarmuid Hurley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a></em></p> <p>Think back to when you met someone for the first time. One of the first questions you asked, or were asked, was likely: “what do you do for work?”</p> <p>It’s a polite, innocuous and socially ingrained way of getting to know more about a person. But it also demonstrates the central role of our professional lives as part of our personal identities.</p> <p>For professional athletes, their careers, exploits and recognition can become the defining aspect of their identity.</p> <p>So what happens when sporting careers end?</p> <p>The transition to retirement, across professions and countries, can be extremely tough to navigate.</p> <p>It can be especially difficult for elite sportspeople, who can experience retirement as a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029221001679?casa_token=L4g3UTN8T78AAAAA:VHqcgJN7jIpW82cp32TXq9gIcKFzD2jtf6Jc_OX-3fjpHVnowlp0p8fcqE01BVF3Qjx0bmiRz4T1">loss of identity</a>, connected to their sense of achievement, meaning and control in life.</p> <h2>How retirement impacts athletes</h2> <p>A common saying with many sportspeople is “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jannfreed/2024/06/29/athletes-die-twice-retirement-as-a-death/">athletes die twice</a>” – once when they retire and again at their death.</p> <p>Former Wallaby Brendan Cannon <a href="https://www.impact.acu.edu.au/lifestyle/after-the-final-siren-helping-athletes-to-adapt-to-life-after-sport">has spoken of</a> this difficulty:</p> <blockquote> <p>[People] want to talk to you about what you used to be, and all you want to focus on is what you want to become.</p> </blockquote> <p>During the transition to retirement, elite athletes can be affected by how they got into their chosen sport, how long they stayed in the system and the variables that either accelerated or ended their careers.</p> <p>Other factors include whether they played a team or individual sport, male vs female pathways, whether their exit from sport was voluntary or involuntary and their age when retiring.</p> <p>My (Sarah) interviews with former professional athletes demonstrate the complexity of retiring from elite sport.</p> <p>To the public, William Zillman, former NRL star turned vet, seems to have it all together. But it didn’t come without hardship, pain and struggles in navigating the harsh terrain of retirement.</p> <p>When asked about his retirement, Zillman said: “[Being an NRL player was] all I knew.”</p> <blockquote> <p>I turned up to work each day, I was told what to do, how to do it and when to do it […] but when I left the system, I think I lost the ability to think for myself. I went from having all the help in the world to very little – it was tough.</p> </blockquote> <p>Retiring from high-performance sport can have profound effects on an athlete’s <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/fulltext/2020/10000/the_psychological_burden_of_retirement_from_sport.11.aspx/1000">physical and mental health</a>, as well as their social and professional development.</p> <p>While “regular people” usually retire in their 60s or 70s, an athlete’s retirement often occurs earlier, coinciding with crucial phases of career development and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10513329/">family planning</a>.</p> <p>Some have to adjust from being highly paid and highly managed to surviving on minimum wages with very little support.</p> <p>“It’s a recipe for disaster,” Ryan James, who considers himself one of the lucky ones, said.</p> <p>A former forward for the Gold Coast Titans, James has been working closely with the Rugby League Players Association (RLPA) with the aim to address some of the complex issues with the transition experience.</p> <p>James knows only too well the struggles some people in the system face as their careers begin to wind down:</p> <blockquote> <p>Many of our players come into the system from disadvantaged and vulnerable backgrounds and while we have made a start, there is more we can be doing. Financial literacy and management is just one avenue we need to tackle. I’ve known too many retired, vulnerable players who were homeless, sleeping in cars with their young families. It’s devastating.</p> </blockquote> <p>It took former English captain turned NRL superstar James Graham a good part of 18 months to re-configure his identity:</p> <blockquote> <p>You come out feeling so lost and alone. Most of your life is spent training, connecting with mates, having a lot of routine and structure to almost nothing. It’s strange and confronting.</p> </blockquote> <h2>What are the major codes doing?</h2> <p>Across various sporting codes there are programs that aim to assist athletes to prepare for retirement.</p> <p>For example, <a href="https://www.rlpa.com.au/past-player-and-transition-program">the RLPA has a program</a> to support athletes who are transitioning.</p> <p>Other major professional Australian codes have similar programs, including <a href="https://www.aflplayers.com.au/app/uploads/2021/10/Player-Retirement-Scheme_Booklet_A5_4.pdf">the AFL</a>, <a href="https://www.thepfa.com/players/union-support/pension-scheme">Professional Footballers Association</a> (soccer) and <a href="https://auscricket.com.au/programs-community/past-player-programs/">cricket</a>.</p> <p>However, whether or not athletes choose to participate in these programs is usually at the discretion of the players.</p> <h2>The importance of planning, preparation and support</h2> <p>One of the key factors influencing how an athlete transitions into life after sport is how much they have <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-not-just-retiring-athletes-who-need-mental-health-support-young-sportspeople-need-it-too-230296">prepared for it</a>.</p> <p>Research with elite athletes from <a href="https://elevateaus.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/The-end-of-a-professional-sport-career-ensuring-a-positive-transition.pdf">the AFL, NRL and A-League</a> shows those who planned and prepared for life after sport and who had goals, direction and identities beyond sport, experienced more acceptance, autonomy (control) and optimism about the future.</p> <p>On the other hand, those who were unprepared or did not plan ahead experienced negative emotional and psychological states, and struggled to move on. This negative effect is even more pronounced for those who were forced to <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/fulltext/2020/10000/the_psychological_burden_of_retirement_from_sport.11.aspx/1000">end their career due to injury</a>.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="lQixA" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: 0;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/lQixA/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <hr /> <h2>How to improve the situation</h2> <p>A recent <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10513329/">scoping review</a> explored the notion of retirement for professional athletes and their ability to adapt to life after sport.</p> <p>It summarised many areas that need more attention:</p> <p><strong>Make athletes aware of what’s ahead</strong></p> <p>Expect that when you leave, it may be hard. Reach out to your club, coach and support services and surround yourself with people who you can talk to and who may be able to help.</p> <p>Athletes should expect that it will take time to adjust, and this adjustment period is crucial for mitigating the adverse effects of retirement. This adjustment period can also significantly reduce the initial negative impacts on their mental and physical health.</p> <p><strong>Tailored support programs</strong></p> <p>Developing tailored support programs that address the specific needs of different sports and athlete sub-groups can help mitigate the challenges associated with retirement.</p> <p>These programs might include career counselling, mental health support and opportunities for continuous involvement in the sports community.</p> <p><strong>A need for further research</strong></p> <p>There is a pressing need for more research to identify effective support mechanisms for retiring athletes. Understanding the types of support that facilitate a smoother transition can help in designing programs and interventions tailored to the unique needs of elite athletes.</p> <p>Additionally, mapping out the factors that aid or hinder the transition across different sports and athlete sub-groups would provide valuable insights.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/234559/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-tillott-1462234">Sarah Tillott</a>, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/diarmuid-hurley-1462235">Diarmuid Hurley</a>, Lecturer, Faculty of Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-psychology-of-retirement-why-do-so-many-athletes-struggle-to-call-time-234559">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Retirement Life

Placeholder Content Image

Nude athletes and fights to the death: what really happened at the ancient Olympics

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/konstantine-panegyres-1528527">Konstantine Panegyres</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>The first recorded victor at the Olympics was <a href="https://anastrophe.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/perseus/citequery3.pl?dbname=GreekNov21&amp;getid=1&amp;query=Paus.%205.8.8#:%7E:text=This%20I%20can%20prove%3B%20for%20when%20the%20unbroken%20tradition%20of%20the%20Olympiads%20began%20there%20was%20first%20the%20foot%2Drace%2C%20and%20Coroebus%20an%20Elean%20was%20victor.%20There%20is%20no%20statue%20of%20Coroebus%20at%20Olympia%2C%20but%20his%20grave%20is%20on%20the%20borders%20of%20Elis.">Coroebus of Elis</a>. A cook by profession, Coroebus won the event called the “stadion” – a footrace of just under 200 metres, run in a straight line.</p> <p>Coroebus was victorious in the year 776 BC, but this was probably not the year of the first Olympic games.</p> <p>A few ancient writers, such as the historian <a href="https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/acl3129.0001.001/320">Aristodemus of Elis</a> (who lived in the 2nd century AD or earlier), <a href="https://www.attalus.org/translate/eusebius2.html#:%7E:text=Aristodemus%20of%20Elis,in%20between%20them.">believed</a> there had been as many as 27 Olympic contests prior to 776 BC, but the results had never been recorded because people before that time did not care about recording the names of the winners.</p> <p>The games were held every four years at <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Olympia-ancient-site-Greece">Olympia</a>, a site in Western Greece that had a famous temple to the god <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zeus">Zeus</a>.</p> <p>The games started in mid-August and were part of a religious festival dedicated to Zeus.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VdHHus8IgYA?wmode=transparent&amp;start=25" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">The Olympics began as part of a religious festival honouring the Greek god Zeus.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Competing for glory</h2> <p>In the early days of the Olympics, there was only one event (the “<a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/stade-footrace#:%7E:text=ancient%20Olympic%20Games&amp;text=The%20race%2C%20known%20as%20the,the%20diaulos%2C%20roughly%20similar%20to%E2%80%A6">stadion</a>”) and one victor.</p> <p>Over the centuries, other events were added, like chariot races, wrestling, long-distance running and boxing. The Roman emperor <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nero-Roman-emperor">Nero</a> (37-68 AD) even “introduced a musical competition at Olympia”, as the biographer <a href="https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780198606413.001.0001/acref-9780198606413-e-6117">Suetonius</a> (1st/2nd century AD) <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL038/1914/volume.xml">informs</a> us.</p> <p>Victors at Olympia won a wreath of wild olive. Unlike today, there were no prizes for second or third.</p> <p>The athlete <a href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DI%3Aentry+group%3D2%3Aentry%3Diccus-bio-1">Iccus of Tarentum</a>, who lived in the 5th century BC and won victory in the pentathlon at the Olympics of 476 BC, apparently <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL448/1959/volume.xml">said</a> that for him “the prizes meant glory, admiration in his lifetime, and after death an honoured name”.</p> <p>Mostly men competed for the prizes but some women took part.</p> <p><a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/43610326">Cynisca</a>, daughter of King <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Archidamus-II">Archidamus II of Sparta</a>, was the first woman to achieve an Olympic victory. She got the prize because the horses she trained won the chariot racing event in the year 396 BC, as the traveller <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pausanias-Greek-geographer">Pausanias</a> (2nd century AD) <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL188/1926/volume.xml">writes</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Cynisca was exceedingly ambitious to succeed at the Olympic games and was the first woman to breed horses and the first to win an Olympic victory. After Cynisca, other women have won Olympic victories but none of them was more distinguished for their victories than her.</p> </blockquote> <p>But competing in the games could be dangerous.</p> <p><a href="https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100454522">Lucius Annaeus Seneca</a> (c. 50 BC-c. 40 AD) <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL463/1974/volume.xml">describes</a> how a father lost both sons in the “<a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/pankration">pancration</a>”, a type of combat sport that was a violent mixture of boxing and wrestling:</p> <blockquote> <p>A man trained his two sons as pancratists, and presented them to compete at the Olympic games. They were paired off to fight each other. The youths were both killed together and had divine honours decreed to them.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Going to the games</h2> <p>People travelled far to see the athletes competing in the famous games.</p> <p>The rhetorician <a href="https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780198606413.001.0001/acref-9780198606413-e-4094">Menander</a> (3rd/4th century AD) <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL539/2019/volume.xml">said</a> of the Olympic games: “the journey there is very difficult but nevertheless people take the risk”.</p> <p>In 44 BC, the Roman statesman <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cicero">Cicero</a> (106-43 BC) <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=BzJsGtpNTwMC&amp;pg=PA125&amp;dq=%22A+winter+voyage+is+disagreeable,+and+that+is+why+I+asked+you%22&amp;hl=en&amp;newbks=1&amp;newbks_redir=0&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjd5ca9m62HAxXKSWwGHf13DPEQ6AF6BAgKEAI#v=onepage&amp;q=%22A%20winter%20voyage%20is%20disagreeable%2C%20and%20that%20is%20why%20I%20asked%20you%22&amp;f=false">wrote</a> a letter to his friend Atticus about planning a trip to Greece to see the games:</p> <blockquote> <p>I should like to know the date of the Olympic games […] of course, as you say, the plan of my trip will depend on chance.</p> </blockquote> <p>Cicero never made it to the Olympics – he was interrupted by other business. If he had gone, the trip would have involved a voyage by sea from Italy to Greece, then a carriage ride to Olympia.</p> <p>Once at Olympia, travellers stayed at lodging houses with other travellers. There they mixed with strangers and made new friends.</p> <p>There is a famous story about what happened when the philosopher <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Plato">Plato</a> (428/427-348/347 BC) stayed at Olympia for the games.</p> <p>Plato lived there with others who did not realise he was the celebrated philosopher and he made a good impression on them, as the Roman writer <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aelian#:%7E:text=Aelian%20(born%20c.,%22Honey%2Dtongued%22).">Claudius Aelian</a> (2nd/3rd century AD) <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL486/1997/volume.xml">recalled</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>The strangers were delighted by their chance encounter […] he had behaved towards them with modesty and simplicity and had proved himself able to win the confidence of anyone in his company.</p> </blockquote> <p>Later on, Plato invited his new friends to Athens and they were amazed to find out he was in fact the famous philosopher who was the student of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Socrates">Socrates</a>.</p> <p>It’s unclear how many people actually visited the ancient games each time they were held, although some modern scholars <a href="https://olympics.com/ioc/ancient-olympic-games/spectators">think</a> the number could have been as high as 50,000 in some years.</p> <h2>Watching the games</h2> <p>The Greek writer <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chariton-Greek-author">Chariton</a> (1st century AD) in his novel Callirhoe <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL481/1995/volume.xml">wrote</a> how athletes – who had often also made a long journey to get to the games – arrived at Olympia “with an escort of their supporters”.</p> <p>Athletes competed naked, and women were usually not permitted to watch.</p> <p>But there were some exceptions. For example a woman called Pherenice, who lived in the 4th century BC, was permitted to attend the Olympics as a spectator. As Claudius Aelian <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL486/1997/volume.xml">explains</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Pherenice brought her son to the Olympic festival to compete. The presiding officials refused to admit her as a spectator but she spoke in public and justified her request by pointing out that her father and three brothers were Olympic victors, and she was bringing a son who was a competitor. She won over the assembly and she attended the Olympic festival.</p> </blockquote> <p>As the contest was held in the middle of summer, it was usually extremely hot. According to Claudius Aelian, some people <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL486/1997/volume.xml">thought</a> watching the Olympics under “the baking heat of the sun” was a “much more severe penalty” than having to do manual labour such as grinding grain.</p> <p>The site at Olympia also had problems with freshwater supply. According to the writer <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lucian">Lucian of Samosata</a> (2nd century AD), visitors to the games sometimes <a href="https://www.tertullian.org/rpearse/lucian/peregrinus.htm#:%7E:text=Coming%20at%20last,that%20same%20water!">died of thirst</a>. This problem was fixed when <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Herodes-Atticus">Herodes Atticus</a> built an <a href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/artifact?name=Olympia%2C+Nymphaeum&amp;object=Building">aqueduct</a> to the site in the middle of the 2nd century AD.</p> <p>The atmosphere of the crowd was electric.</p> <p>The Athenian general and politician <a href="https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Themistocles*.html">Themistocles</a> (6th/5th century BC) apparently <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL486/1997/volume.xml">said</a> the most enjoyable moment of his life was “to see the public at Olympia turning to look at me as I entered the stadium”.</p> <p>They praised him when he visited the games at Olympia because of his recent victory against the Persians at the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Salamis">battle of Salamis</a> (480 BC).</p> <p>When the games were over, winning athletes returned home to a hero’s welcome.</p> <p>According to Claudius Aelian, when the athlete <a href="https://ia801308.us.archive.org/18/items/PWRE09-10/Pauly-Wissowa_V1_1151.png">Dioxippus</a> (4th century BC) <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL486/1997/volume.xml">returned to Athens</a> after being victorious in the pancration at Olympia, “a crowd collected from all directions” in the city to celebrate him.</p> <h2>The end of the ancient games</h2> <p>The Roman historian <a href="https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803115406219">Velleius Paterculus</a> (born 20/19 BC) <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL152/1924/volume.xml">called</a> the Olympic games “the most celebrated of all contests in sports”.</p> <p>Current research <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/end-of-greek-athletics-in-late-antiquity/DF60B2B859B4F1A7FE7549B17B61E9A1">suggests</a> the ancient games probably ended in the reign of the Roman emperor Theodosius II (reigned 408-450 AD).</p> <p>There may have been a number of reasons for the demise but some ancient sources specifically <a href="http://ancientolympics.arts.kuleuven.be/sourceEN/D219EN.html#:%7E:text=Scholia%20in%20Lucianum%2041.9.42%2D46%3A%0AThe%20Olympic%20games%20%C3%AF%C2%BF%C2%BD%20existed%20for%20a%20long%20time%20until%20Theodosius%20the%20younger%2C%20who%20was%20the%20son%20of%20Arcadius.%20After%20the%20temple%20of%20Olympian%20Zeus%20had%20been%20burnt%20down%2C%20the%20festival%20of%20the%20Eleans%20and%20Olympic%20contest%20were%20abandoned.">say</a> it was caused by a fire that destroyed the temple of Zeus at Olympia during Theodosius II’s reign:</p> <blockquote> <p>After the temple of Olympian Zeus had been burnt down, the festival of the Eleans and the Olympic contest were abandoned.</p> </blockquote> <p>The Olympics were not revived again until 1896, the year of the first <a href="https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/athens-1896">modern Olympics</a>.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/234912/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/konstantine-panegyres-1528527">Konstantine Panegyres</a>, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/nude-athletes-and-fights-to-the-death-what-really-happened-at-the-ancient-olympics-234912">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

Teen athlete's tragic death just weeks before Paris Games

<p>A young Olympic hopeful has tragically died just weeks out from making his debut at the Paris Games. </p> <p>Jackson James Rice, 18, was found dead after a diving accident in Faleloa, Tonga on Saturday from a “suspected shallow water blackout”.</p> <p>The teenager had been set to become the first caucasian to represent Tonga at an Olympic Games, having qualified for the new kite-foiling event.</p> <p>He had been free diving from a boat when the tragedy unfolded. </p> <p>His body was found beneath the boat and despite several resuscitation attempts, he could not be revived. </p> <p>Rice's heartbroken father confirmed the news of the teenager's death to the Matangi Tonga newspaper, as tributes flowed for the young athlete.</p> <p>Rice’s sister Lily paid an emotional tribute to her brother on social media on Sunday, as she wrote on Facebook, “I was blessed with the most amazing brother in the whole world and it pains me to say that he’s passed away."</p> <p>“He was an amazing kitefoiler and he would have made it to the Olympics and come out with a big shiny medal … he made so many amazing friends all over the world.”</p> <p>Other friends paid tribute to the teenager on social media, with one writing, “I can’t begin to put into words what I’m feeling right now. I still cannot believe it, when I woke up to this news I thought you were playing around. You’re the most amazing friend anyone could ask for and anyone who has spent time with you would agree.”</p> <p>Rice was originally born in the US but moved to Tonga at a young age with his British-born parents. </p> <p>He grew up in Haʻapai, where his parents run a tourist lodge, and always viewed himself as Tongan.</p> <p>The talented athlete qualified for what had been due to be his first Olympic Games last December, after placing eighth at a Sail Sydney event.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Does a woman’s menstrual cycle affect her athletic performance? Here’s what the science says

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sara-chica-latorre-1443479">Sara Chica-Latorre</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-pengelly-1443674">Michael Pengelly</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a></em></p> <p>During the Women’s FIFA World Cup, it has been wonderful to see the spotlight turn to female athletes.</p> <p>There’s always been <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24766579/">more research on male athletes</a> compared to female athletes, but the gap is narrowing.</p> <p>One thing we still don’t know enough about is the effect of the menstrual cycle on athletic performance.</p> <h2>What does the menstrual cycle do to a woman’s body?</h2> <p>The menstrual cycle is a complex cascade of events typically lasting 28 days. The primary female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone rise and fall as the body cycles through four phases, beginning at menstruation, maturation and releasing of an egg (ovulation), preparation for pregnancy, and restarting the cycle if the egg is not fertilised.</p> <p>Fluctuations in female sex hormones have been associated with changes in inflammation, metabolism, muscle activation and body composition, which <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33572406/">can influence athletic performance</a>.</p> <p>For instance, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22306563/">inflammation decreases</a> when the body is preparing to ovulate, reaching its lowest point around ovulation. It then increases following ovulation and peaks during menstruation.</p> <p>This peak coincides with lower perceived performance among many female athletes.</p> <p>The menstrual cycle can also give rise to symptoms including pain, cramps, weakness, and poor sleep and focus, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35911030/">challenging performance</a> during training and competition.</p> <p>For example, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/24733938.2021.2020330">research</a> conducted in elite female soccer players found over 87% of players perceived reduced power and increased fatigue during menstruation, while over 66% perceived their reaction time and recovery to be affected.</p> <p>Considering the approximate maximum career length of soccer players (21 years) and a woman’s fertile life, that adds up to about 250 times throughout a woman’s soccer career that performance may be compromised.</p> <p>Trends observed among female soccer players closely mirror the experiences of other female athletes, with over <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37389782/#:%7E:text=Results%3A%20Sixty%20studies%20involving%206380,the%20most%20prevalent%20MC%20disorder">74% reporting</a> negative effects mainly during the first days of menstruation.</p> <p>For some, this may lead to reduced training participation, potentially compromising skill development, fitness levels, and even their chances of being selected for competition.</p> <p>But the menstrual cycle is complex, and its effects can vary between athletes and sports. Consequently there is disagreement regarding whether the menstrual cycle universally affects athletic performance, with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10076834/#:%7E:text=Findings%20suggest%20that%20strength%2Drelated,cause%20variations%20in%20strength%20performance">some research</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32661839/">indicating</a> no influence of the menstrual cycle on certain performance measures. But these studies are few and had various logistical limitations, including a small number of participants.</p> <p>Also important to note is that most studies to-date have excluded women using hormonal contraceptives, which is about <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29283683/">50% of female athletes</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35475746/#:%7E:text=Conclusion%3A%20Most%20WSL%20players%20do,minimise%20discomfort%20and%20maximise%20performance.">28% of female soccer players</a>. The use of hormonal contraceptives suppresses natural hormonal fluctuations and replaces them with external synthetic versions of female sex hormones, affecting the athlete differently.</p> <p>Clearly the extent and severity to which the menstrual cycle impacts athletic performance is highly variable and complex, with more research needed. So for now it’s sensible to consider the effects of the menstrual cycle on an individual basis.</p> <h2>How to support athletic performance at all cycle stages</h2> <p>It’s essential for players to familiarise themselves with their own cycles to understand how they’re affected throughout, as well as communicate any menstrual cycle-related issues to support staff (physicians and coaches). This awareness can guide adjustments in training and nutrition when required.</p> <p>For example, oestrogen has an important influence on iron levels in females, such as chronic oestrogen deficiency is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23041085/">linked to iron deficiency</a>. Iron status can also be compromised by blood loss during menstruation, depending on the heaviness and duration of bleeding.</p> <p>Iron is essential for human function, facilitating energy production and the transportation of oxygen around the body. In soccer, about <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16521852/#:%7E:text=Of%20the%20investigated%20female%20soccer,at%20the%20top%20international%20level">60% of elite female players</a> present as iron deficient, compared to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18384395/">less than 12% of their male counterparts</a>. For an iron deficient midfielder, this might translate into covering less distance at lower speeds.</p> <p>It’s therefore important female athletes have their iron levels regularly checked by qualified practitioners. Addressing deficiencies through diet, supplementation, or iron transfusions, will ensure athletic performance during training and competition is not compromised.</p> <p>Individual athletes’ training loads can also be strategically managed to accommodate severe menstrual symptoms.</p> <p>Football clubs around the world have been <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/24733938.2020.1828615">experimenting with this strategy</a> since it gained popularity during the 2019 Women’s FIFA World Cup. But how does it look in practice?</p> <p>For team sport athletes, such as soccer players, this can be a demanding logistical task. It’s not easy to track the menstrual cycles of more than 25 players concurrently, and hold training sessions at convenient times for all of them. The complexities are heightened when training and game days cannot be avoided.</p> <p>But performance coaches must consider athletes’ needs and ensure they’re prepared for competition, while minimising the risk of injury and menstrual discomfort. Coaches should also ensure athletes maintain adequate nutrition for both competition and to support their menstrual cycle.</p> <p>For an athlete who reports severe menstrual symptoms during the first days of menstruation (such as increased pain and weakness), this might translate into reduced training intensity, additional recovery days, and an anti-inflammatory diet that also supports the restoration of iron levels (increased intake of nuts, seeds, berries, lean red meats, and fibre and Omega-3 rich foods).</p> <p>And it’s important to keep in mind some athletes might experience menstrual cycle issues in phases other than menstruation. So, training and nutrition should be flexible and individualised across the cycle.</p> <p>Using this approach, athletes can mitigate the influence of the menstrual cycle on their performance, giving them the best opportunity to achieve their athletic potential and success during competition.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206700/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sara-chica-latorre-1443479">Sara Chica-Latorre</a>, Phd Candidate and Research Assistant, Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-pengelly-1443674">Michael Pengelly</a>, PhD Candidate, Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-a-womans-menstrual-cycle-affect-her-athletic-performance-heres-what-the-science-says-206700">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Australian researchers confirm world’s first case of dementia linked to repetitive brain trauma in a female athlete

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-townsend-501829">Stephen Townsend</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-pearce-734804">Alan Pearce</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-olive-944640">Rebecca Olive</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p>Researchers at the <a href="https://www.brainbank.org.au/">Australian Sports Brain Bank</a> have today reported the world’s first diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a <a href="https://rdcu.be/dfQiz">female athlete</a>.</p> <p>With the consent of her family, the diagnosis was made on the brain of Heather Anderson, a 28-year-old AFLW athlete <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-14/adelaide-aflw-premiership-player-heather-anderson-dies-aged-28/101653188">who died</a> last November. Heather’s family donated her brain to the Australian Sports Brain Bank hoping to better understand why she died.</p> <p>The findings, which Professor Alan Pearce co-authored with the Australian Sports Brain Bank, raise questions about how a lifetime of contact sport may have contributed to her death. They come as Australia’s <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Headtraumainsport">Senate inquiry</a> works on its report into concussions and repeated head trauma in contact sport, due in August.</p> <p>Given how hard women have fought to participate in football codes and contact sports in recent years, this diagnosis has major implications for women’s sport in Australia. It also highlights the significant lack of research about women athletes in sport science and medicine.</p> <h2>What is chronic traumatic encephalopathy?</h2> <p><a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-traumatic-encephalopathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20370921">CTE</a> is a devastating form of dementia which causes a decline in brain functioning and increased risk of mental illness. It is increasingly associated with athletes who play contact sports, such as football, boxing and martial arts.</p> <p>It is incurable and can only be <a href="https://www.brainbank.org.au/cte-diagnosis/">diagnosed post-mortem</a>. Recently, a number of high-profile former Australian footballers were found to have been suffering from CTE when they died, including former AFL stars <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-26/danny-frawley-family-urges-afl-to-act-on-cte-concussion/102269648">Danny Frawley</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-25/brain-disease-killed-shane-tuck-not-mental-health-says-sister/101362740">Shane Tuck</a>, and former NRL player and coach <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-22/qld-paul-green-brain-scans-reveal-brain-disease-cte-diagnosis/101566032">Paul Green</a>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Adelaide AFLW premiership player Heather Anderson dies aged 28 <a href="https://t.co/ihy2i9UcRl">https://t.co/ihy2i9UcRl</a></p> <p>— ABC News (@abcnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/abcnews/status/1592079585201381377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>Concussions in contact sports have long been associated with long-term neurodegeneration in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2021.676463/full">Australia</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3987576/">internationally</a>. While the public and researchers are rightly concerned about serious concussions, a study published last month in <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39183-0__;!!PDiH4ENfjr2_Jw!FvAmUDcX-ESwwl8nG_BNNkRyB2J4TBq1oXkBTE1bBcdRGEQTl4u7qmgGsLguHpGNlFpWkz-SjKg3HGwdNYxIfEWW9U6ifytx%24">Nature Communications</a> confirmed that repetitive brain trauma over time – even seemingly mild head knocks or whiplash – is the strongest predictor for an athlete developing CTE. Athletes with long careers in contact sport are at particular risk, especially if they play from an early age.</p> <h2>A sporting life</h2> <p>Heather Anderson began playing rugby league at age five before transferring to Australian rules football in her early teens. She played representative football in the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory before being drafted into the inaugural season of the AFLW in 2017.</p> <p>Anderson played a single season with the <a href="https://crowshistory.afc.com.au/aflw-players/heather-anderson#:%7E:text=Biography&amp;text=An%20army%20medic%2C%20Heather%20Anderson,year%20and%20starred%20for%20Waratah.">Adelaide Crows</a>, during which she won a premiership and suffered a career-ending shoulder injury. She then returned to her role as a medic with the Australian Army, a physical career which also carries a <a href="https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/health-well-being/programs-initiatives/military-health-outcomes-program">heightened risk of brain injury</a>.</p> <p>Anderson’s family donated her brain in the hope of knowing whether a lifetime of exposure to repetitive head trauma contributed to her death.</p> <h2>Was this diagnosis expected?</h2> <p>Concussion researcher Anne McKee predicted earlier this year it was a <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/02/20/its-coming-experts-worried-about-female-athlete-brain-injuries/">matter of time</a> before CTE was found in the brain of a woman athlete.</p> <p>The Australian Sports Brain Bank team believe Anderson is a “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK564388/">sentinel case</a>” we can learn from. She is the first female athlete diagnosed with CTE, but she will not be the last.</p> <p>Although Australian women have historically been excluded from the sports most associated with repeated head injuries, this is changing. In 2022, there were almost one million women and girls playing some form of <a href="https://www.clearinghouseforsport.gov.au/kb/women-in-sport">contact sport</a> in Australia. As women’s participation in contact sport continues to grow, so too does their risk of repetitive brain trauma.</p> <h2>Are women more prone to CTE than men?</h2> <p>There is emerging evidence that women are at significantly higher risk of mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) and may suffer more severe symptoms.</p> <p>Concussion alone does not cause CTE, but an athlete’s number of concussions is a reliable indicator of their cumulative exposure to brain trauma, which is the biggest predictor of CTE.</p> <p>While knowledge on the topic is still developing, researchers <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02089-2">propose a mix of physiological and social explanations</a> for women’s increased concussion risk. These include "[…] differences in the microstructure of the brain to the influence of hormones, coaching regimes, players’ level of experience and the management of injuries."</p> <p>More research is needed to understand sporting brain injuries specifically in women and girls. Given their growth in participation and the enhanced risks they face in sport, it is concerning that women and girls are <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/17/981">underrepresented</a> in concussion research.</p> <p>This is representative of a <a href="https://journals-humankinetics-com.ap1.proxy.openathens.net/view/journals/wspaj/29/2/article-p146.xml">broader trend</a> in sport and exercise science research to exclude women from studies because their bodies are perceived as <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-021-01435-8">more complex</a> than men’s and thus more difficult to accommodate in testing.</p> <h2>A disease that does not discriminate</h2> <p>This world-first report of CTE in a female athlete is proof the disease does not discriminate and lends urgency to calls for <a href="https://theconversation.com/sports-concussions-affect-men-and-women-differently-female-athletes-need-more-attention-in-brain-research-160097">greater representation</a> of women in brain injury studies.</p> <p>Efforts to reduce concussion in women’s sport must first address resource inequalities between men’s and women’s sport. This includes giving women access to quality training and coaching support, as well as <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-study-much-of-what-were-told-about-gym-exercises-and-resistance-training-is-from-studies-of-males-by-men-205753">greater attention</a> from sport science and medical research.</p> <p>The health of <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14443058.2019.1575262">women athletes and women’s sport</a> will only progress if researchers, policymakers and sport governance bodies ensure the attention and resources required to address concussion and brain disease are not focused solely on men.</p> <hr /> <p><em>If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/">Lifeline</a> on 13 11 14.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208929/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></em></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-townsend-501829">Stephen Townsend</a>, Lecturer, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-pearce-734804">Alan Pearce</a>, Professor, College of Science, Health, Engineering, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-olive-944640">Rebecca Olive</a>, Vice Chancellor's Senior Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-researchers-confirm-worlds-first-case-of-dementia-linked-to-repetitive-brain-trauma-in-a-female-athlete-208929">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Sam Newman lashes out at “woke” athletes “with low IQs”

<p dir="ltr">Former AFL player Sam Newman has weighed in on a string of recent conflicts in the sporting world over million-dollar sponsorship deals, calling out “woke” athletes “with low IQs”.</p> <p dir="ltr">He claimed the world was “being run by patronising and pompous, arrogant people”, creating a “ridiculous, woke society of nonsense”.</p> <p dir="ltr">His comments come after the news emerged of controversies involving Netball Australia and the Fremantle Dockers.</p> <p dir="ltr">Netball Australia, which is in desperate need of funding, is in dispute with some of its star players around a $15 million sponsorship deal with Hancock Prospecting, which is owned by mining magnate Gina Rinehart.</p> <p dir="ltr">The deal would also see the company’s logo featured on the uniforms of Diamonds players, but opposition came from Indigenous player Donell Wallam and her teammates in relation to the company’s historical stance against Indigenous communities.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rinehart’s father, Lang Hancock, made a series of racist comments about Indigenous people in a 1984 documentary, Couldn’t Be Fairer, including his solution to the “Aboriginal problem”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I would dope the water up so that they were sterile and would breed themselves out in future and that would solve the problem,” Hancock said in the film.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the AFL world, major Fremantle Dockers supporter Woodside Energy, a natural gas exporter, has left some high-profile fans concerned.</p> <p dir="ltr">Author Tim Winton and former WA premier Carmen Lawrence are among a group of fans urging the football club to end the agreement with the gas company.</p> <p dir="ltr">These controversies have become fodder for Newman, who shared his opinions on both with <em>Sky News</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 76-year-old said he wouldn’t wear a certain sports jersey if he didn’t agree with what was on the front of it, but that “the price of being virtuous is hypocrisy” and that it’s unrealistic to expect sports could continue without money from the mining or energy sector.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If you think fossil fuels are going to disappear in the very near future then you’re mistaken because that’s the end of the civilised world as we know it no matter what you think of climate and no matter what you think of global warming,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I notice one of the netballers said they weren’t happy with Hancock because of their climate record, I mean seriously the world we live in is being run by patronising and pompous, arrogant people who have no idea really what they’re on about.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He then dubbed the netballers as hypocrites.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have people with low IQs telling a sporting body which is on its knees financially that they won’t accept money from sponsorship deals from a company which I’m sure that those people who are complaining use one of those products indirectly or directly that Hancock Mining or Hancock industries have fabricated on a daily basis,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">When <em>Sky News</em> host Chris Kenny suggested that sports stars should just not play if they don’t agree with who sponsors their game, Newman disagreed, saying that those running teams or codes have a “duty of care” to inform players before they sign up.</p> <p dir="ltr">“[They have] a duty of care [to] say to the rank and file before they sign them up, "We're going to have Alinta Energy or Hancock mining sponsor us, have you got any problems with it?’” Newman said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And if they have you could actually sort it out before they did the deal.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As for the Fremantle Dockers, Newman took the opportunity to slam the sport in general.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If I could just go a step further (about) the feigned indignation of the AFL who insist on telling us to be the moral arbiters of what we believe in,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I've said this before. At the AFL grand final we had three references to Indigenous Australians. </p> <p dir="ltr">“One of them is absolutely appropriate and no one could agree with it more.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But they had three separate references... lest we have to be told that we (have to) respect everything that's going on in the country.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They made a Muslim woman (Haneen Zreika of the Giants) the face of the AFLW, and then... she declined (to) wear the gay pride jumper.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If you get into the political realm in a sporting organisation, you end up creating a hornet's nest for the people who want nothing more than to go to the football or the sporting event just to watch it for what it is.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But they keep forcing this moral code onto us, to perhaps appease their own social prejudices and it turns into a ridiculous, woke society of nonsense.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-034e29be-7fff-5589-bfc8-96e96f37cce9"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Sky News (Facebook)</em></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Serena Williams: why more athletes are retiring later

<p>Serena Williams has announced she’s retiring. The tennis star has had a long and decorated career, winning 23 grand slams and establishing herself as one of the most well-known professional athletes in the world. Williams, who is 40, joins a host of other professional athletes who have continued to compete well beyond the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7764278/pdf/ijerph-17-09265.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">typical retirement age</a> for athletes – which is between 28-32 years of age. Other notable athletes still competing at the highest level of their sport after 40 include English cricketer James Anderson (who is 40) and American surfer Kelly Slater (who is 50).</p> <p>There are many reasons an athlete may choose to retire from sport, such as injury, illness, fitness or family. But a combination of better training, nutrition and recovery techniques may help explain why a growing number of athletes are competing past what was once considered their “prime”.</p> <h2>Training</h2> <p>Athletes have a wealth of support systems to help them in their training – including their coach, who helps them reach their peak for certain performances and recover between games or competitions.</p> <p>The “old school” approach to training consisted of high-intensity exercise to failure or fatigue – essentially pushing an athlete until they couldn’t do any more during that training session. The main benefit of this approach is that it’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2988497/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">time-efficient</a>, as the more intense the exercise, the less time is needed to achieve the benefits of training.</p> <p>But a more structured approach is now favoured by many athletes and coaches. The reason for this shift in training styles is thanks in large part to research over the past 20 years showing burnout and injuries are more common as a result of overtraining caused by high-intensity exercise.</p> <p>To avoid this, most athletes now use <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2015/12000/Current_Scientific_Evidence_for_a_Polarized.34.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polarised training</a>, which favours moderate-intensity training. Polarised training still improves performance, but with less likelihood of injury or burnout. Athletes may also use concurrent training, which combines both strength and endurance training in the same session. This kind of training is especially useful, considering most types of sports <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6315763/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">combine both strength and endurance</a>.</p> <p>Sports scientists and coaches now also understand a lot more about the demands of a sport, so they try to tailor training to target specific weaknesses or strengths in an athlete’s performance. All of this leads to less <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2653871/pdf/381.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">overtraining</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8650470/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">illness and injury</a> – which can help extend an athlete’s playing life.</p> <h2>Recovery</h2> <p>We also now know more about the best ways to help an athlete recover.</p> <p>For example, sleep is now known to be extremely important for an athlete’s performance. This is because sleep releases human growth hormone, which is important for <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-198704020-00004" target="_blank" rel="noopener">muscle growth</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7844366/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">maintaining muscle mass</a>. This not only allows an athlete to perform at their best, it also helps them be ready for their next training session or competition.</p> <p>Since the body <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1096637400800118?via%3Dihub">secretes less human growth hormone</a> as a person ages, ensuring an athlete gets a good night’s sleep can be one strategy for helping them avoid this and maintain their athletic performance.</p> <p>Research also continues to reveal the best approaches for recovery after competition or training. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9012715/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ice baths</a> are extremely popular now, as these reduce muscle soreness and can help athletes <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-021-04683-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recover more quickly</a> when needed.</p> <p>In recent years, more athletes are adopting post-exercise recovery – such as ice baths or compression garments. However, the research on how useful these techniques are is still mixed. Athletes may also <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/16/6/article-p787.xml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">use wearables</a> to track how long it takes their body to recover, which may better guide their training.</p> <p>Better recovery means athletes are less likely to suffer from fatigue or injuries, which may help them compete longer.</p> <h2>Nutrition</h2> <p>Different diets and supplements can be used to enhance performance and recovery.</p> <p>For example, probiotics (live microorganisms often found in fermented foods, such as yoghurt or kimchi) have been shown to help <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6925426/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">improve the absorption of key nutrients</a> associated with immune system and bone health. This could help an athlete recover faster between competitions.</p> <p>Good nutrition is also key for a long career. It’s well known that as we age we need to maintain our muscle mass differently. This may require adjustments to protein intake depending on the changing demands of exercise.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8619485/pdf/nutrients-13-03771.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Personalised diets</a> are also being adopted by athletes which may take into account their genetics, immune function and digestive system to ensure they’re eating the best diet for their body and to enhance recovery.</p> <p>Personalising diets and changing them throughout their career can allow athletes to maintain their health and performance.</p> <h2>Mental health</h2> <p>An athlete’s mental health is a big reason many decide to retire from competition.</p> <p>Research shows that athletes are more likely to experience mental health problems (such as anxiety) during their <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-016-0492-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">peak age of performance</a>. But having the <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/55/22/1243" target="_blank" rel="noopener">right psychological support</a> can prevent mental health problems in athletes, and also give them the right coping mechanisms to deal with the stresses of high level competition. Research even shows <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(21)00397-7/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making mental health a priority</a> during training and competition is key to continued success.</p> <p>As we learn more about training, ageing, nutrition and supporting athletes, there’s no doubt we will only continue to see more athletes extending their careers. If they continue to enjoy the sport, adapt to change and maximise their health along the way, it seems logical to continue.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/serena-williams-why-more-athletes-are-retiring-later-189097" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

Placeholder Content Image

Kyle Sandilands weighs in on trans athlete debate

<p>Radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands has weighed in on the debate over transgender athletes participating in professional sports. </p> <p>In a fiery on-air segment, the KIIS FM host claimed it was "offensive" for athletes who were assigned male at birth to compete in the same competition as those assigned female at birth.</p> <p>"I feel - and this is only my personal opinion and I'm happy to have my mind changed - if you're born a female, you're allowed to swim against other females," Sandilands said on Monday.</p> <p>"If you're a 6ft man with (audio beeped) in women's bathers, that's not going to cut it."</p> <p>A producer of the show was quick to clap back at Sandilands, he was being "really offensive to trans women."</p> <p>Kyle, who is neither an athlete or a member of the transgender community, defended his stance. </p> <p>"It's offensive to women who want to compete against other women, that a bloke is allowed to beat them," he said. </p> <p>The producer responded, "By saying bloke, you're just dismissing what a trans women is."</p> <p>"Well you're dismissing what an actual woman is," Sandilands shot back. </p> <p>Co-host Jackie O stepped in to try and diffuse the situation, saying people should keep their personal opinions to themselves, and let the matters be handled by sports organisations. </p> <p>"So we should just say, screw those chicks who are trying to win the medal," he said. </p> <p>"I get both sides here," Jackie O said.</p> <p>The discussion of transgender athletes has been a widely debated topic during the election campaign, with Liberal candidate Katherine Deves receiving online threats after she described transgender children as "surgically mutilated and sterilised" in a series of unearthed tweets.</p> <p><em>Image credits: KIIS FM</em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Olympic and Paralympic athletes light up Sydney Opera House

<p>As the Paralympic cauldron was extinguished, celebrating the end of the Tokyo Games 2020 in the National Stadium on Sunday night, a show of another kind was unfolding on the sails of the Sydney Opera House.</p> <p>With various states of lockdown still affecting many in Australia, there was no chance for ticker tape parades and crowded streets of cheering supporters to celebrate our returning athletes.</p> <p>So, a modern twist for an age-old tradition was found. Athletes and their families everywhere – whether still in Tokyo, in quarantine back in Australia – could tune into a five-and-a-half-hour livestream like no other.</p> <p>All 665 of Australia's Paralympians and Olympians had their faces and names projected onto the Opera House sails for 30 seconds each, giving them their moment in the spotlight.</p> <p>Two official photographers captured thousands of photos from the livestream along with Olympic and Paralympic montages and ‘Thank you Tokyo’ shots, with every athlete to receive a personalised image as an Australian-made gift to remember their Tokyo experience.</p> <p><strong>Largest show of this kind at the Opera House</strong></p> <p>According to the NSW government this was the largest collection of images ever projected onto the Sydney Opera House.</p> <p>Working with the Australian Olympic Committee, Paralympics Australia, Sydney Opera House and The Electric Canvas, the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet managed the project, collecting every athlete's image over two weeks then mapping them onto a design concept to fit the Opera House sails.</p> <p>The Games have been credited with giving people in every state and territory a positive boost and a break from the stress of lockdown and the seemingly never-ending coverage of COVID.</p> <p>Australia's athletes were impressive right to the end, with Madison de Rozario winning the women’s Paralympic marathon while teammate and marathon newcomer Jaryd Clifford, finished with a silver in the men's event on the final day.</p> <p>While the Games are nothing without the athletes, and they deserve their Opera House tribute, many of them will tell you their own lasting memories will be of the volunteers who for days on end stood in the heat and humidity directing busloads of competitors and officials.</p> <p>They were also making sure the fridges stayed full of water, or were simply charged with reminding every single person that passed through the security gates to "please, sanitise your hands".</p> <p><strong>Some of the best quotes of the Paralympic Games</strong></p> <p>As a final tribute, the Olympic Information Service in Tokyo compiled some of the best quotes of the Paralympic Games, which we share with you now as a final farewell:</p> <p><em>"I wouldn't change anything. I'd break my neck again if I could."</em> - Australian wheelchair rugby player, Richard Voris on "living the dream" after his friend accidentally jumped on his neck while swimming, leaving him quadriplegic.</p> <p><em>"When I modelled for (US fashion label) Tommy Hilfiger I had this realisation that this perfect body does not exist; only a handful of people have this type of body, this lifestyle. If you look around, all of us have little bumps and bruises all over us and we are all imperfect."</em> - US swimmer Haven Shepherd, who lost both her legs at 14 months old when her parents strapped a bomb to themselves and held her in their arms in an attempted family suicide in Vietnam.</p> <p><em>"I love what the Paralympics represents – it represents more than sport, it represents people with disability, succeeding in what they love, it gives us purpose, it gives us a passion, it changes cultures, changes perceptions. We can work, we can get jobs, we can be teachers, we can be mums, we can be dads, we can travel, we can be partners, we can have kids, we can do so much."</em> - Australia's tennis quad singles gold medalist Dylan Alcott, on the power of the Paralympics.</p> <p><em>"It was so good to have a female on the podium – that just happened to be me."</em> - British track cyclist Kadeena Cox who won the gold medal in the C1-5 750m team sprint, reflecting on being the only woman in the mixed team final.</p> <p><em>"I was literally swimming using one lung. I risked my life by coming here because my right lung is not functioning. But I came here to deliver a message representing millions of refugees around the world. There are thousands and thousands of disabled refugee athletes who are counting on me, so I didn't want to let them down."</em><br />- Syrian-born swimmer Ibrahim Al Hussein, representing the Refugee Paralympic Team, revealing he competed at Tokyo against the advice of his doctor.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Placeholder Content Image

World’s tallest athlete towering in Tokyo

<p>The world’s tallest athlete Morteza Mehrzad, who competes sitting down, is 246cm tall and he’s part of the Iranian men’s sitting volleyball team which is on track for back-to-back gold medals at the Paralympics.</p> <p>The middle-eastern nation has dominated the sport for decades — winning six of the past eight gold medals in the men’s game — but it’s the addition of Mehrzad which has made the team even more unbeatable.</p> <p>The 33-year-old is the second tallest man alive and the tallest Paralympian in history.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.12648221343875px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843638/tallest-athlete-2-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e7faee5aa18846fc80928421dc4af12c" /></p> <p>In a sport where players with a variety of ailments sit down and try to get the ball over the net which is approximately 1.15m off the floor, it’s very easy for Mehrzad.</p> <p>Iran will meet the sport’s other powerhouse Bosnia Herzegovina in the semi-finals on Thursday night in a rematch of the gold medal game in Rio four years ago.</p> <p>On that occasion, Mehrzad made the difference and Iran won the medal.</p> <p><strong>Iran’s coach asked Mehrzad to join</strong></p> <p>Iran’s coach Hadi Rezaeigarkani saw Mehrzad on a TV program about physical disorders and got in contact with him, asking him to join the team.</p> <p>He took up the sport nine years ago and made his international debut in 2016 and immediately started winning awards. He’s only improved, continuing to dominate at the Paralympics.</p> <p>Even sitting down, when Mehrzad raises his right arm, it reaches a height of 1.93 metres. When spiking — the term used to describe a forceful attacking shot to get the ball over the net — he can get his dominant hand up to 2.3m in the air.</p> <p><strong>It’s not all good news for the Iranian sports star</strong></p> <p>While it’s easy to see why Mehrzad would be happy with his progress, it isn’t all good news for the Iranian superstar.</p> <p>He suffers from acromegaly - a medical condition which arises from the brain’s pituitary gland producing too much growth hormone after the body’s growth plates have closed. By the age of 16 he was already over 1.9m tall.</p> <p>Mehrzad rarely stands up though because he seriously injured his pelvis in a bike accident as a teenager, meaning he now spends significant amounts of time either on crutches or in a wheelchair.</p> <p>His right leg has stopped growing and it’s about 15cm shorter than his left. The sad reality is that while he’s helping his teammates to win and bringing recognition to his country in Tokyo at the moment, his condition does not bode well for his long term future.</p> <p>A spokesperson for his team said: “His health is not going well. His health is currently declining because he’s getting taller. I think he’s still growing. The first time we saw him he could walk better but now he has to walk with crutches.”</p> <p>But now is a time for Mehrzad and his team to focus on the positives. Iran has won six gold medals and two silvers across the past eight Paralympics, and with Mehrzad’s help, it looks likely they’ll be heading home from these Games with some more medals as well.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

World’s most relatable Olympic Athlete

<p><span>In a bittersweet moment, the entire nation watched as the affable hurdler Nicholas Hough battled in the semi-final of the 110m on Wednesday.</span><br /><br /><span>While he sadly failed to reach the finals, he did cross the line in 13.88 - just half a second slower than his heat time.</span><br /><br /><span>However, Hough made international headlines after colliding with every single hurdle on his way through.</span><br /><br /><span>It has been revealed the Australian Olympian was dealing with an injury he’d suffered from due to his previous race.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Nicholas Hough just put in a lovely trial to represent the <a href="https://twitter.com/NSWWaratahs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NSWWaratahs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/110mHurdle?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#110mHurdle</a></p> — Matt Taylor 🐎💨 (@DreamTeamMatt) <a href="https://twitter.com/DreamTeamMatt/status/1422740467934851083?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><br /><span>"I'm just happy I got out there on the track today, I had a bit of a sore calf after the heat yesterday," Hough said.</span><br /><br /><span>While the sportsman was able to run on the injury, he was forced to limit his preparation for the big semi-final.</span><br /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842844/nicholas-hough.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6b233c7062014609babcd7a49b0a332b" /></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> <p><span>"I didn't know how bad it was gonna get, but I got through the race. Be a bit sore tomorrow, but that's OK.</span><br /><br /><span>"It was a bit of a struggle to warm up, didn't have much power getting going and driving through the hurdles - but it's great to be out here representing Australia."</span><br /><br /><span>American Grant Holloway qualified fastest for tomorrow's final, with a time of 13.13.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Nicholas Hough is a legend.<br /><br />Injured, but still ran. He knew what it meant.</p> — Johnny Worthington (@jworthington) <a href="https://twitter.com/jworthington/status/1422774692591534081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><br /><span>Hough is determined to spend the next three years building up for the 2024 games in France.</span><br /><br /><span>"It's a big couple of years - Paris is my time, that's going to be the big one for me,” he said.</span></p> <p><em>Image: Instagram <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/nick_hough/?hl=en" target="_blank">@Nick_Hough</a></em></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Olympic athlete jailed for 25 years

<p><span>Olympic kayaker and silver medallist Nathan Baggaley has been jailed for 25 years, over an elaborate plot to smuggle more than 500 kilograms of cocaine into Australia in 2018.</span><br /><br /><span>His brother Dru was handed down a sentence of 28 years’ jail.</span><br /><br /><span>Both brothers were convicted of attempting to bring in 650 kilograms of white powder (with an estimate of 512 kilograms ro be considered pure cocaine).</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842696/nathan-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/465a8cf904c049858f187dae4733fc26" /></p> <p><em>Nathan <span>Baggaley, 45. Image: Getty Images</span></em><br /><br /><span>A Brisbane Supreme Court jury has found both the brothers guilty over the detailed high-seas plan to import cocaine worth up to $200 million.</span><br /><br /><span>Defence barrister Mark McCarthy, argued Dru should be handed a 20 year prison sentence, while Nathan’s defence lawyer, Anthony Kimmins, recommended his client should get 14.</span><br /><br /><span>Justice Ann Lyons handed the brothers their punishment, telling them: “It is clear that I must impose a sentence on both of you which is to punish your drug-related crime in a way which signals plainly to anyone who considers like offending that courts are both able and willing to make it clear that actions of this nature will receive quite substantial penalties.”</span><br /><br /><span>Justice Lyons said to Nathan: “You could have easily removed it [the boat] from the ability of Dru to use it … you knew full well what was happening, and you went along with it ... You played an essential role, it was one where you were trusted.”</span><br /><br /><span>To Dru she said: “You did not cooperate with law enforcement officials … you were caught red handed and on film disposing of the cocaine.”</span><br /><br /><span>A last-ditch bid for leniency by the lawyers defending the brothers failed on May 24.</span><br /><br /><span>Justice Lyons rejected a last-ditch bid for leniency on May 24, after Dru argued that thought he was picking up tobacco packages.</span><br /><br /><span>She decided that Nathan knew what the boat he bought was going to be used for.</span><br /><br /><span>Dru and boat driver Anthony Draper were both arrested on July 31, 2018.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842697/nathan-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fe801c64b7d54e64bae7ff31460e3de1" /></p> <p><em>Dru <span>Baggaley, 39. </span>Image: Supplied</em><br /><br /><span>NSW law enforcement had to employ a surveillance plane, a navy ship and a RAAF plane,</span><br /><br /><span>The dramatic chase was ended by a number of specialist heavily armed SERT officers on a Queensland Water Police vessel.</span><br /><br /><span>Nathan had claimed his brother told him he was buying the boat for a proposed whale-watching business at Byron Bay and that he was unaware of the drug plot.</span><br /><br /><span>Dru claimed he thought he was going to get packages of tobacco, not cocaine, and alleged he was kidnapped and forced to go on the long voyage.</span></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

World reacts with shock to Olympic athlete slapped on live TV

<p>Judo fans were left in shock when German athlete Martyna Trajdos was shaken and slapped in the face by her coach before an Olympic bout in Tokyo.</p> <p>The live broadcast showed the bizarre moment ahead of Trajdos' elimination round of 32 fight with Hungary's Szofi Ozbas on Tuesday afternoon.</p> <p>The German ultimately lost the fight, with Ozbas emerging triumphant by Waza-Ari.</p> <p>However, the footage of Trajdos and her coach inevitably caught the attention of viewers, with many voicing their concern for her well-being.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CR1VL4nqyy6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CR1VL4nqyy6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Martyna Trajdos (@martyna_trajdos)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>But Trajdos defended the pre-fight ritual <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CR1VL4nqyy6/" target="_blank">on Instagram</a>: "Don't worry guys! That's the ritual which I chose before fights. My coach is just doing what I want him to do to fire me up!</p> <p>"I wish I could have made a different headline today.</p> <p>"As I already said that’s the ritual which I chose pre competition! My coach is just doing what I want him to do to fire me up!"</p> <p> </p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

19-year-old athlete fights for life after tragic accident

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A 19-year-old Sunshine Coast triathlete is fighting for life in hospital after a severe bicycle crash on the weekend.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alexa Leary was out on her normal morning ride at Pomona on Saturday when she was seriously injured before being transported to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital where she remains in an induced coma.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The athlete suffered a fractured scapula, ribs, shoulder blade, and wrist, a major knee injury, and a collapsed lung. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her family has been told she also suffered major brain damage, with blood clots discovered on her brain.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Leary, a competitive triathlete and trainer at F45 Noosa, has been described as “beautiful”, “bubbly”, and “strong”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We are all feeling the effect of Alexa’s situation and it’s rocked us. We are trying to continue life as normal but under the smiles we are beyond broken,” F45 Noosa said in a post.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Her family are standing by … taking each moment she doesn’t decline as a mini victory.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We need to keep this family in our thoughts and prayers, they need us and we need Lex to pull through.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Lexi girl, you are stronger than you know, braver than us all and we totally know you will conquer this mountain. Come one Lexi, we are all waiting for you.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLOYyLIBqEf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLOYyLIBqEf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by ALEXA LEARY ✨ (@alexaleary.tri)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her sister Maddy shared on Instagram that the blood clots were the biggest concern, with doctors initially saying they would try and treat them on Tuesday, July 20.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, on Tuesday night Maddy said “they didn’t touch the blood clots today. They said maybe tomorrow, instead.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alexa’s boyfriend, Will O’Dwyer, has posted images of his girlfriend alongside messages telling her to “stay strong my darling, I love you, you can do this”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Belinda, Alexa’s mum, took to Facebook to share that doctors had to “take the risk” to give her daughter blood thinners, otherwise the clots “could take her life”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Race Pace Coaching have described Alexa as “an awesome and tough athlete” who is “tenacious as they come”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“She will need every ounce of her resilience over coming days and into the future with a long period of hospitalisation appearing inevitable,” the group said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her brother Max described his sister as “a ray of sunshine” and said “the Leary household has never been so cold”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You have always been strong and it’s not fair how much s*** you have been through this year; but you have to keep fighting … We want our big sister back,” he said.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Alexa Leary / Instagram</span></em></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Kate Middleton shows off athletic skills at the London Stadium

<p><span>The Duchess of Cambridge showed off her sporty side as she visited a SportsAid event at the London Stadium on Wednesday morning.</span></p> <p><span>The 38-year-old stepped out in trainers for the public engagement, where she spoke with young athletes and their parents to hear about their experiences, the challenges they face, and the support they receive from the charity.</span></p> <p><span>She tried her hand at track and field starts as well as Taekwondo alongside the athletes.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The Duchess packs a punch <a href="https://t.co/mNeEyXoQCT">pic.twitter.com/mNeEyXoQCT</a></p> — Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalReporter/status/1232640017073364993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2020</a></blockquote> <p><span>Taekwondo athlete Lutalo Muhammad, who taught the Duchess moves, said her performance was “a lot better than expected”, <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/gallery/2020022685373/kate-middleton-jessica-ennis-hill-sports-aid-london-stadium/1/" target="_blank">HELLO</a> </em>reported<a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/gallery/2020022685373/kate-middleton-jessica-ennis-hill-sports-aid-london-stadium/1/" data-mce-fragment="1"></a>.</span></p> <p><span>“She did well actually,” Muhammad said. “Her right hand is mean. I hope she never has to use it for self-defence but at least she’s got some skills now.”</span></p> <p><span>Duchess Kate became the patron of SportsAid in 2013, a year after she took on the role of ambassador for the London 2012 Olympics.</span></p> <p><span>She and husband Prince William are set to embark on a royal tour of Ireland next week.</span></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Commonwealth Games’ unseen moment: Aussie athletes’ act of pure class

<p>Australia’s long-distance track stars might not have won any medals in the 10,000 metre final last night, but they delivered a moment of pure class that will long be remembered as one of the highlights of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-video"> <p dir="ltr">This is what it's all about.<br /><br />The Aussies wait until the last competitor has crossed the line in the 10,000m before leaving the track. All class. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GC2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/Bb8XVorxsf">pic.twitter.com/Bb8XVorxsf</a></p> — 7CommGames (@7CommGames) <a href="https://twitter.com/7CommGames/status/983304836073472002?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>Celia Sullohern, Madeline Hills and Eloise Wellings had all completed their race minutes earlier, but instead of leaving the track like competitors from other nations, the Aussie stars waited at the line for the last runner to finish.</p> <p>Lineo Chaka, representing the southern African nation of Lesotho, ran the last few laps on her own, but was greeted by the Aussie runners in a touching act of sportsmanship.</p> <p>"We're there for each other and we're out there having a go," Sullohern <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>told ABC News</strong></em></span></a>.</p> <p>Hills sympathised with Chaka, explaining long distance runners face similar challenges.</p> <p>"All of us just went out there hoping to do the best we could on the day, and sometimes that's 31 minutes and sometimes that's 35 minutes," Hills said.</p> <p>"I'd like to think if I had that day there would be someone standing on the track for me."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Sportsmanship at its best: <br /><br />The Aussie trio of Eloise Wellings, Madeline Hills and Celia Sullohern in a very classy move waiting for Lineo Chaka as she completed the 10km final<a href="https://t.co/ZdjgEQJuP6">https://t.co/ZdjgEQJuP6</a> <a href="https://t.co/448dRvM8vs">pic.twitter.com/448dRvM8vs</a></p> — Emily Benammar (@EmilyBenammar) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmilyBenammar/status/983312255373606912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>Did you see this touching act of sportsmanship? Have you been enjoying the Commonwealth Games? Let us know in the comments section below.</p> <p><em>Hero image credit: Twitter / Emily Benammar</em></p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

Channel Seven's Jim Wilson cops backlash for asking athlete inappropriate question

<p>A Channel Seven reporter is receiving backlash after asking wheelchair-bound Aussie athlete, Kurt Fearnley, about how he feels “walking” into the stadium before the opening ceremony.</p> <p>Last night, reporter Jim Wilson spoke to legendary wheelchair racer Kurt Fearnley moments before the Commonwealth Games’ opening ceremony in the Gold Coast.</p> <p>“How about walking... and coming into the stadium tonight?” Wilson asked Fearnley.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" width="500" height="573" scrolling="no" id="molvideoplayer" title="MailOnline Embed Player" src="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/embed/video/1662250.html"></iframe></p> <p>The gold-medallist revealed a noticeable grimace but politely responded after Wilson quickly rephrased his question.</p> <p>Viewers were quick to respond on social media to Wilson’s awkward question.</p> <p>“Sorry Jim, did you just say ‘walk in’ to Kurt, one of our greatest wheelchair bound athletes? Come on mate,” one person tweeted. Fearnley has a congenital disorder called sacral agenesis, which prevented the development of parts of his spine.</p> <p>The athlete has won three gold medals at the Paralympic Games and has competed at two previous Commonwealth Games. In 2010, he won the gold medal for the 1500m T54 in Delhi.</p> <p>This year, Fearnley will compete in the marathon event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.</p> <p>Fearnley revealed to <em>Players Voice</em> that this Commonwealth Games could be the last time he represents Australia. “I’ll never say never and there’s a very, very slim chance I’ll have a crack at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020 but it feels right to go out on home soil, having started my international career here 18 years ago,” he said.</p>

Body

Placeholder Content Image

99-year-old and 92-year-old go head-to-head in 60-metre sprint

<p>Most people would be thrilled to make it to their 90s with their mind and body still intact, but two extraordinary nonagenarians have taken it a step further, battling it out in a nail-biting 60-metre track race.</p> <p>Orville Rogers, 99, and Dixon Hemphill, 92, went head-to-head in the sprint race at the USATF Masters Indoor Track &amp; Field Championships in New Mexico, USA. Hemphill maintained a slight lead for the first 55 metres before Rogers, a WWII veteran, narrowly overtook his younger competitor and won by five-hundredths of a second!</p> <p>Compared to the under-10 second personal bests of Olympians running the men’s 100m, the elderly duo’s times of 18 and 18.05 seconds to complete 60 metres is certainly impressive. So, it’s no surprise that footage of the thrilling race, posted to Facebook, quickly went viral.</p> <p>“I took off, and I was a little bit ahead so I thought, ‘This is going well,’” Hemphill told <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/99-year-old-upsets-92-year-old-in-thrilling-sprint" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Runner’s World</span></strong></a> of his early lead. “I think had I leaned a little bit, I would have won.”</p> <p>However, Hemphill wasn’t too disappointed at his loss. The pair also faced off in the 200m, 400m, 800m an 1600m, with the 92-year-old coming up trumps in these longer events. “I guess he has the speed and I have the distance,” Hemphill chuckled.</p> <p><em>Video: USA Track &amp; Field/Facebook. Image: USATF.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2017/03/great-grandma-dances-into-100th-birthday/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Gorgeous great-grandma grooves into her 100th birthday</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2017/03/95-year-old-man-finally-comes-out-as-gay/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>95-year-old man finally comes out as gay</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2017/02/elderly-woman-gets-arrested-for-bucket-list/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Dutch woman in her 90s ticks “getting arrested” off bucket list</strong></em></span></a></p>

Retirement Life

Placeholder Content Image

10 photos of Australia’s winning athletes at the Rio Olympics

<p>Australia has hit the ground running at the 2016 Rio Olympics, with the total medal count now at eight on only the fourth day into the games.</p> <p>The women’s rugby sevens took home the gold after beating New Zealand 24-17, making Australian history. We’ve also nabbed two gold and one bronze in swimming thus far, a gold in shooting, and bronze medals in diving, archery and equestrian.</p> <p>The most medals we have ever received in a year is 58, when, at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, our athletes took home 17 bronze, 25 silver and 16 gold in total. In Olympic history, we’ve received 468 overall, with 178 of those being earned in the pool.</p> <p>Scroll though the gallery above to see our ecstatic athletes celebrating their wins. </p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/08/aussie-team-stands-by-mack-horton-in-china-swimming-feud/"><em>Aussie team stands by Mack Horton in China swimming feud</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/08/shooter-takes-home-third-gold-for-australia/"><em>Shooter takes home third gold for Australia</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="/news/news/2016/08/the-most-spectacular-costumes-from-past-olympics/">The most magnificent costumes from past Olympics opening ceremonies</a></em></strong></span></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

IOC clears 271 Russian athletes for Rio Games

<p>The IOC has cleared 271 Russian athletes of doping charges after weeks of investigation into the originally 387-strong team. The country was facing a complete ban after its athletes were implicated in a World Anti-Doping Agency report.</p> <p>A specially organised panel of experts gave 271 athletes last-minute approval to compete in Rio, including 11 boxers, eight tennis players, 18 shooters, 11 judokers and 29 swimmers. Russia’s track-and-field athletes and weightlifters have not been cleared of charges.</p> <p>Concerns were raised earlier this year after it was revealed athletes had taken part in state-sanctioned doping, which the Russian Government had actively covered up.</p> <p>When the entire country’s team was in jeopardy of a blanket ban, Vladimir Putin organised <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/russian-athletes-track-and-field-stage-alternative-games-in-moscow-after-anti-doping-ban-from-rio-a7161871.html" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">his own version of the Games</span></strong></a> in Moscow for the guilty athletes. “No competition in the world can replace the Olympics, but nonetheless today we are finding a replacement for what they didn’t give us yesterday,” head of the Russian athletics federation Dmitry Shlyakhtin said.</p> <p>Do you think Russia should be allowed to compete? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/08/the-most-spectacular-costumes-from-past-olympics/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The most spectacular costumes from past Olympics</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/cruising/2016/08/us-basketball-team-charters-luxury-cruise-ship-for-rio/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>US basketball team charters luxury cruise ship for Rio</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/07/rio-olympics-athletes-to-compete-in-contaminated-waters/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Rio Olympics athletes to compete in contaminated waters</strong></em></span></a></p>

News

Our Partners