But the podiums were less striking for me than the emotional states of Team GB. Crucially, we saw athletes across all sports proud of their successes outside of competition, including household names such as Adam Peaty and Tom Daley. Our medal winners were made up of recent graduates, activists and parents – including, for the first time in different sports, a number of mothers. Our gymnasts – after often painful fourth-place finishes in the men’s and women’s team finals – were clearly proud of their achievements along the way: qualifying, overcoming injuries, making their debuts. Athletes, Olympians, are people, not just medal machines with broken hearts. It was inspiring.
Athletes who didn't achieve their goals responded with dignity and perspective; those who did seized the opportunity to volunteer for causes and prioritize the joy of elite sport.
The Games, however, only tell a fraction of the story. The BEAA works year-round to support athletes in good times and bad, so what do we hear behind the scenes? That problems persist, that sports are at very different stages in their approach to wellbeing and that athletes need a strong voice to act in their best interests. We know all too well that serious action needs to be taken on funding, representation and ensuring athletes are aware of the challenges of leaving sport.
But we also hear – and see – that progress is being made and that there are great examples of sports that are putting their athletes first while flourishing on the world stage.
Improved attitude towards athlete well-being is a boost
This year we asked our members (mainly government-funded UK athletes) whether they think attitudes towards athlete wellbeing have improved since the start of 2023. Eighty-three percent of the 132 respondents answered yes, compared to 71 percent when asked about 2022.
I am encouraged by both figures, as is the number of national governing bodies proactively working to improve the system. My team was proud to provide observers for selection meetings – the occasions when athletes are chosen for funding or competition – in 37 sports between Tokyo and Paris, and to be invited to influence dozens of policies and decisions from an athlete’s perspective. Neither of these could be said before 2021, and to change that, NGBs had to open the door to an independent body for constructive scrutiny. I sincerely hope that they – and the athletes under their care – have benefited from this.
There are many more initiatives: ChangeMakers, a collaborative initiative to support athletes in making a positive social impact, and UK Sport’s Powered by Purpose, both of which support development beyond competition.
That’s not to say that everything will be addressed in a three-year cycle; we will see more stories of malpractice and athletes failing in their sports care duties. I have no doubt that it will take years to completely overhaul a system of over 40 organisations until consistently high standards – of wellbeing, communication and more – are in place without exception.
But the pace of change is unlike anything I saw before the Paris cycle. The intention and the first steps are there. Now the British Olympians – I'm sure I can say the same for our Paralympians soon – prove that higher welfare standards can go hand in hand with phenomenal performance.
If that's not motivation to keep going, I don't know what is.
Anna Watkins MBE is a two-time Olympian and London 2012 rowing champion. She is also CEO of the British Elite Athletes Association, an independent representative body.