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Articles on Mental toughness

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Simone Biles’ sponsors, including Athleta and Visa, are lauding her decision to put her mental health first and withdraw from the gymnastics team competition during the Olympics. It’s the latest example of sponsors praising athletes who are increasingly open about mental health issues. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka put the focus on the importance of mental performance for Olympic athletes

Two of the world’s top athletes have raised awareness of mental health issues on the Olympic stage. An Olympian explains why mental training can be as important as physical training.
Canada’s Margaret Mac Neil swims to a gold medal in the women’s 100 metre butterfly final during at the Tokyo Olympics. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Record-setting performances at the Tokyo Olympics come after months of pandemic-induced stress

The past 18 months have tested the mental and physical limits of Olympic athletes in their pursuit of the Tokyo Games. That’s what makes the performances during these Olympics even more remarkable.
Olympic gold medallists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada are artists on ice, but behind their performance is years of training to be mentally tough during competition. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

How Olympians train their brains to become mentally tough

For any athlete to deliver a gold medal performance, mental toughness is an essential ingredient. But what exactly is mental toughness — and how does an athlete develop it?

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