Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

Reactions to the Games so far and changing attitudes towards mental health in sport

In this week’s ‘Deep Dive’ episode, Chris is joined by tennis journalist and editor Hannah Wilks; senior lecturer in Psychology, Dr Peter Olusoga; BBC Scotland’s ‘The Nine’ journalist and former Olympic sports reporter, David McDaid; and news features writer for The Daily Mirror, Alex Bellotti.

The conversation begins with guests discussing the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 being held in Japan during the Covid-19 pandemic – with athletes forced to social distance in the Olympic Village, and their families and fans cheering them on from their living rooms at home.

The discussion moves on to US gymnast Simone Biles and her decision to pull out of the all-around gymnastics final to prioritise her mental health. They consider the huge pressures placed on athletes after winning medals, and whether we are likely to see more competitors making a similar decision in competitions to come.

Together they highlight some of Great Britain’s triumphs so far including Tom Daley’s victory alongside Matty Lee in the men’s diving finals, and what they’re looking forward to most in the run-up to the track and field events.

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