“People Are More Than Their Sport”: With Simone Biles Leading the Charge, 28 Year Old Athlete Sheds Light on the Changed Narrative Around Mental Health

The entire athletic domain is aware of Simone Biles’ strides in the new role of a mental health advocate. Being one of the most decorated gymnasts of the era, when the 27-year-old struck herself out in the wake of ‘twisties’, her incident sparked global conversations. But with time, when Biles found herself in the healing process, she decided to spread her knowledge to the crowd. Some athletes are still keeping her story as a reference.

The 28-year-old track and field athlete, Keturah Orji, a native of Mount Olive N.J., has made a significant mark in the track world. Recently, at the 2024 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships, she nabbed her 10th all-around national triple jump title. Amid these victory-making moments, she didn’t miss out on speaking about the much-discussed topic of mental health.

Simone Biles drew another supporter: Keturah Orji

‘One of the best jumpers in America‘ sat in a one-on-one conversation with the host of 11Alive. In a podcast named Keturah Orji: From UGA tracks to global heights at the Olympic Games, a mental health-related conversation grabbed the spotlight. The host asked, “How important has the increased conversation around mental health been?”

Without a slight hesitation, the 28-year-old triple jumped and said, “Super important I think people are much more empathetic now and considerate of people. I think when Simone Biles sat out, um it really showed people that again, people are more than their sport”. Listening to her speaking affirmed that not just gymnastics, but the entire sporting realm has rallied to establish themselves as humans first.

When Simone Biles’ story surfaced in 2021, people were not supportive of the athletes going through mental setbacks because of pressure build-ups. But now, times have changed. What the 7x Olympic medalist commenced in 2021, Orji, who have worked with a sports psyche, reiterated just that. Let’s have a look at the exclusive Olympics interview before the Olympian’s ‘Gold Over America’ tour.

Biles’ noble move to include mental health in her tour

“For me, it was important to include the mental health aspect because I know a lot of people coming out to watch this show go through similar things”, she said. Moreover, her main motive came to light when she said, “I would say it has a lot of strength, courage. It’s exhilarating. There are sad parts, but there are ups and downs in life. And I think that’s what we’re trying to portray in these shows, that we’re human as well, not just athletes”. 

Simone Biles wrote down her tour in 2015 on a mission to fulfill one of her dreams. But taking lessons from her 2021 incident, she issued the line, “I hope young women take away that it’s OK to not be OK. You can speak up for what you believe”. Ahead of the Paris Olympics, she’s delivering another spectacle, undoubtedly.

READ MORE: Months After Having the Worst Season, American Athlete Grabs National Title at USATF Indoor Championship