Chloe Kim: ‘It really messes with you’ – US star opens up on mental health after winning Winter Olympics gold

Chloe Kim has opened up about how she “wasn’t in a good place” before successfully defending her snowboarding title at the Winter Olympics and hopes that speaking out about mental health will one day inspire girls to “move on” and ” never give up.” ”.

The American has spoken candidly about how she struggled to deal with the sudden attention she received when she became a breakout star at PyeongChang 2018 at the age of just 17, and says it’s still an issue she deals with today.

Kim said her life completely changed when she returned to the US and that things came to a head when she realized she couldn’t go unnoticed at her favorite sandwich shop. As a result, she threw the medal away from her, before her father retrieved it.

“It’s unfair to expect me to be perfect, and I’m not perfect by any means,” she said after winning her second Olympic gold.

“I think the biggest challenge for me now is to be as open as possible, because I hope that maybe one day a little girl can hear my story and be inspired to keep going, to never give up, to learn that it’s okay to have a bad day, that you can move on and that at the end of it all you come out in a better place, that has been my goal.

“I’m happy to talk about whatever it is I’ve been experiencing. Honestly, it’s really healthy for me to drop everything and let everyone know what’s on my mind.”

Kim cited gymnastics star Simone Biles and four-time Grand Slam tennis champion Naomi Osaka as role models who have spoken out about their mental health, saying it is a “reminder that we are all human.”

She was a resounding winner of the half-pipe competition, winning by nearly four clear points over Spain’s Queralt Castellet, but admitted she found it difficult to prepare for the final.

“Everyone goes through things, everyone struggles with mental health. It’s not an easy thing to overcome,” Kim said.

“I was lying in bed thinking about today all night and sometimes it really bothers you and the problem is when you don’t put yourself first and reach out for help. Just take care of yourself.”

“Recognize that what you are doing is not easy and there is a lot of pressure and people expect a lot from you, that is not normal, so it is normal to fight with that kind of pressure.

“This morning, I wasn’t in a good place at all, but I was just constantly reminding you that it’s okay to feel the way you feel and that you know you can do your best, that’s all you have to do. Those Los little reminders that I give myself really helped me reset and get back to where I need to be.”

Kim says she “definitely won’t do that again” when asked if her second gold would also end up in the bin, but questioned whether she will return to the Milan-Cortina Olympics. At those Games, he could equal Shaun White’s record of three Games titles.

She says she’s “really excited for all that’s to come” and that it’s an “honor to take home the gold to the US,” but admits the four-year cycle takes its toll.

“I really don’t know how many more Olympics I’m going to do,” he said.

“I think honestly it’s about how I feel mentally and physically. I feel like maybe I want to enjoy snowboarding and not do it at a high competitive level for too long.”

“What you need to understand is that this is not an easy sport, it is really difficult and I know all the ladies make it look very easy, but I promise you that if any of you tried to do half of the things that you did, it would not end. very good for you.

“There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears and hard work, sacrifice from families, and it’s not easy and it gets to you sometimes. I fall on my butt and am sore for three days. I think it’s about being smart about it, prioritizing my health above all else and just taking it one step at a time.”

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