Performing Under Media Pressure
Female Olympians balancing personal, academic, and athletic responsibilities

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina just wrapped up and it showcased the pinnacle of athletic achievement alongside the heartwarming and inspirational stories behind the medals. These games highlighted how mental resilience, media pressure, and life responsibilities define modern olympians.

Alysa Liu: Figure Skating 

Alysa Liu, a figure skating athlete competing for team USA, was one of the most celebrated athletes this Olympics for her technical skills. At the games, she completed a flawless short and free program earning her the gold medal in women’s single skating and the figure skating team event. 

What makes her story inspirational is that at just 16 years old after competing in the Tokyo Olympics in 2022, she stepped away from skating announcing her retirement.

Liu was feeling burnout due to an intense training schedule alongside years of  emotional strain. Her return marked a new era in sports in an otherwise very strict environment. She focused on reclaiming her  joy and passion for  skating.

In an interview with 60 minutes, she said that she returned to the sport on her own terms  stating her boundaries and how that yielded positive results. It shows that burnout pacing and rediscovering joy is what sustains healthy and great performances. 

Eileen Gu: Freestyle Skiing

Eileen Gu, a free skier competing for team China entered the competition as one of the world’s top ranked female competitors in big air, half pipe, and slopestyle. Gu won a gold medal in halfpipe and a silver in big air and slopestyle, becoming the most decorated Olympic female free skier in history. 

Beyond skiing, she juggles her life as a student, model, and professional athlete highlighting the demands of competing at a high level and managing a public role. After winning two silvers, she faced a question during a press conference that downplayed her accomplishments suggesting that her silver medals were failed attempts at gold. 

Her response emphasized the value of each achievement, the effort behind it, and this resonated with audiences worldwide. “So, the two medals lost situation, to be quite frank with you, I think, is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I’m showcasing my best skiing. I’m doing things that quite literally have never been done before, and so I think that is more than good enough, but thank you,” Gu said. Her story highlights how athletes can assert control over narratives while maintaining peak performance. 

Elana Meyers Taylor: Bobsleighing 

Elana Meyers Taylor, a bobsledder competing for team USA, made headlines after winning gold for the first time at her fifth Olympics becoming the most decorated black athlete in the Winter Olympics. This year, she won a gold medal in monobob. Beyond bobsledding, she balances motherhood, mentorship, advocacy for children with disabilities, media responsibilities, and learning american sign language to communicate with her sons who are deaf. 

In interviews, Meyers Taylor publicly spoke about mental health, and the emotional toll of competing when balancing multiple responsibilities showing how to sustain sports and well-being. Her journey highlights the weight of scrutiny Olympic athletes face, particularly black athletes who experience disproportionate criticism. 

Gabrielle De Serres: Ice Hockey 

Gabrielle De Serres, an ice hockey player for team France, is a University of Toronto alumna. She has navigated competing internationally at a high level and reflects the hard work required to transition from collegiate sports to representing her country at the Olympics. Her journey shows the adjustments  athletes make by adapting to competition, increased visibility, and the responsibility of carrying national expectations. 

Stepping into the international scene brings new pressure and the importance of maintaining confidence amid the external narratives that often come with high scale competitions. 

Success beyond medals

This Olympics shows that success is far more than medals and that athletic achievements are shaped by perseverance, hard work, and burnout management. 

Olympic and Paralympic athletes are not just performing athletically,  but are also balancing life responsibilities like school, motherhood, academics, and more. The fact that social media is more accessible than ever allows people to follow  athletes in their day to day lives in the Olympic Village. Viewers can see how athletes train which allows most people to approach the sports and the Olympics with an open mind but also leaves athletes vulnerable to criticism. 

It provides a powerful lesson for the general public and people in their respective fields, even students; just as Olympic athletes navigate pressure, public attention, and personal responsibilities, you can approach academics, hobbies, and personal growth with resilience, self awareness, and a positive mindset.

The Olympics connects us all and celebrates dedication, perseverance, and sportsmanship proving that achievement is as much about how we care for ourselves as it is about winning a medal. Congratulations to all of the athletes in the Olympics and the Paralympics, all of their stories are truly inspirational.