For athletes, retiring is a big deal. It’s often the end of a lifetime spent focused on their sport and often signals the start of a new chapter in their life. It can be difficult to find one’s self-identity outside of their sport, which can result in depression and anxiety. It’s also not uncommon for athletes to have financial difficulties when they retire, as they may have spent years shelling out thousands of dollars for elite coaching and equipment while foregoing regular employment in order to train around the clock.
For these reasons, it’s important to make sure the athletes retiring are prepared for this transition and have a support network to help ease them into their post-athlete lives. To assist athletes who are preparing to make the jump from professional athlete to full-time retiree, a number of organisations are offering financial support.
Several Olympic medalists have made the decision to retire from competition this year. WNBA legend Sue Bird and USWNT stalwart Megan Rapinoe are both stepping down from their careers after helping propel women’s sports toward mainstream popularity and sparking conversations around equality and inclusion in the sport. Both women are finding ways to continue these conversations into retirement, with Bird launching a podcast and Rapinoe relaunching her website.
Five-time Olympic medalist Tom Daley has retired from diving, having won one gold, two silvers and three bronzes over a career that began in Beijing 2008. The British diver was the male flag bearer for Great Britain at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and won a silver with his partner Noah Williams in the men’s synchronised 10m platform event.