Two-time Olympic gold medalist Apollo Ohno joined a host of other athletes to discuss the pressure of reaching perfection.
Ohno appeared in an HBO documentary produced by 23-time gold medal Olympian Michael Phelps.
In the Weight of Gold, the swimmer spoke openly about mental health issues weighing on Olympic athletes. Ohno joined him.
“It’s all you’ve done for the past 10 years. And now, for the next 40 seconds of our human lives, this moment will dictate whether you have gold or not,” Ohno says in the documentary.
“Everything that’s not catered to you performing at the highest level in sport is a nonstarter,” he goes on to say.
Nothing else seems to matter.
“How many golds do you have because if you’re silver, you’re not making money,” Ohno explains. “You’re bronze? You’re not making money. You didn’t medal? I don’t even know your name, pal. Go back to the end of the line, OK?”
Other athletes to speak in the Weight of Gold include bobsledder Lolo Jones, figure skaters Sasha Cohen and Gracie Gold, and snowboarder Shaun White. All admitted to going through post-Olympic struggles.
Phelps who has been arrested twice for DUI has made speaking out about mental health his issue.
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