Tokyo Olympics 2021: Preparing in a Pandemic
Description
After more than a year of uncertainty, athletes are finally on their way to Tokyo for the Olympic Games, which begin Friday, July 23. (The Paralympics begin Tuesday, Aug. 24.) For those who had their sights set on representing their countries, an extra year of preparation proved to be a test of both physical and mental fortitude. Athletes dealt with added stress from the COVID pandemic, limited access to training facilities and an ambiguous future. In this episode, Paralympian Lacey Henderson and Jessica Dale Bartley, a clinical assistant professor and director of mental health services for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, share the ways COVID altered athletic routines, redefined mental toughness and permanently changed high performance training.
United States
