Filipino talks mental health ahead of Paris Olympics: ‘We are not machines’

After a six-month hiatus from his career. Felipe Toledo Back to the world browse To compete in it Paris 2024 Olympic GamesBut anyone who thinks the break was due to an injury or some kind of physical injury is wrong. The Brazilian surfer took a break to focus on something that is not usually appreciated in the world of sports: Psychological health.

He, who started his surfing journey when he was 15, is now 29. In addition to two World Cup titles, WSLendured tremendous mental fatigue. “After 11 years, I decided to take a year off, give myself a break, reset, recharge, be home, be a father to my children, be a husband to my wife, do something for my family,” he said in an interview with the official Olympic website on Monday afternoon, July 22.

“Surfing has changed my family’s life and I don’t regret it. But with all this, as the sport grows, there is more attention, there is more pressure,” said the Filipino. The surfer revealed that due to competitions, he has not had the opportunity to celebrate his birthday at home in recent years.

“I felt like I needed to take care of myself so I could come back stronger and compete for another five or six years,” he said, adding that he didn’t want to go through the same burnout he faced in 2023. The surfer, who announced his retirement at the beginning of 2024, said the topic of mental health is an issue shared by many athletes, but it remains taboo.

“Why is no one talking about this? What is the reason? Is it just because you’re going to show that you’re weak or what? People need to know that we’re human beings. We’re not machines. We have a lot of sacrifices,” the athlete said. “I needed to talk about it and show the world how hard it is.”

As a 2023 champion, the Filipino already qualified for the Paris Olympics. The surfer did not qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, but dreams of doing well in Tahiti and reaching the Brazilian podium again.

“It’s every athlete’s dream to participate in the Olympics and win a medal. For our sport, surfing, I feel this is the highest point we can reach,” he said in the interview. The first men’s surfing qualifiers will be held on Saturday, July 27 at 2 p.m. (Brasilia time).

Men’s Stage 1 Qualifiers

• Ethan Ewing (AUS), Tim Elter (ALE) and Jordy Smith (AFS)
• Joan Duro (France), Jack Robinson (Australia), Matthew MacGillivray (AFS)
• Alonso Correa (Peru), Felipe Toledo (Brazil) and Kanoa Igarashi (Japan)
• Gabriel Medina (Brazil), Conor O’Leary (Japan), Bryan Perez (ELS)
• Ramzi Boukhem (Morocco), Billy Sturmand (New Zealand), Joao Chianca (Brazil)
• Andy Creeri (Spain), John John Florence (USA) and Alan Cleland (Mexico).
• Cowley Fast (France), Luca Messinas (Peru), Griffin Colapinto (USA).
• Rio Waida (India), Leonardo Fioravanti (Italy), Rio Inaba (Japan)