Confessing to Post Olympic Depression, US Swimming Legend Missy Franklin Opens Up On Fear Of Disappointing Fans

The Olympic year brings back a lot of Olympic-centric memories, which is especially pertinent to Missy Franklin, who drew a line to her storied career in 2018. The 2x Olympian once made waves in the turquoise aquatics in a way that the iconic Katie Ledecky aimed at outdoing her record-breaking performances.

In her debut Olympic spectacle, the 28-year-old walked home with 5 medals, out of which 4 were golds. She was 17 and ‘swimming was all that’ she had known. But in her second Olympic appearance, the climate wasn’t that favorable. The 2012 Summer Olympics “was so surreal and it was an amazing experience”, but her not being a ‘new rookie‘ at 21 burdened her with a lot. Now a proud mother and an ambassador for the USA Swimming Foundation, the swimmer shed light on the uncharted.

 Swimming legend talks about depression and post-Olympic pressure

Going candid with Sky Sports News, the 28-year-old former swimmer graced the episode: “Missy Franklin on Olympic glory, motherhood & mental health battles”. She had personal things to share as a former Olympian, which might pose an inspirational note for the new rookies. But the one thing we miss out on is what the athletes go through after setting a standard in their sport. The compulsion to further make the podium unnerves them. Franklin said, “It was a ton of pressure and expectation and I think that really impacted my mental health because, for the first time, I stopped swimming out of love and joy for the sport.”

She continued, “and started swimming out of fear of disappointing people and that didn’t make me happy”. Concluding this topic, she said, “I worked with a therapist and sports psychologists“. The 5x Olympic medalist’s mental health struggles was akin to Adam Peaty, who shares a good relationship with Missy Franklin.

Both Franklin and Peaty crossed path at the Rio Olympics

“I’ve been on a self-destructive spiral”. When Adam Peaty surfaced with this statement, it didn’t require a second for the world to fathom his hardships. But the Olympian wasn’t the same at the 2016 Summer Games, in which he became the first male British 100 breaststroke medalist in 24 years. Franklin said, “I’m so grateful to have had the memories that I share with Adam and I remember spending time with him in Rio after the Olympics was done”. 

His infectious smile is sure to slay, but little did the world know about his advocacy. Missy Franklin has taken herself off the Olympic roster 8 years ago. But she surely hopes to see ‘one of the goofiest‘ friends of hers to make it to the much anticipated podium.

READ MORE: Doha World Aquatics Championships: Adam Peaty Gains Favorite Position After Victorious Numbers in Semi-Finals