Mental health struggles in gymnastics aren’t a new dilemma. It has always been there. But surely Simone Biles turned the collective attention to it in 2021, after disclosing her suffering from ‘twisties’ (mental fatigue). Since then, a lot of things have been written about those struggles. Even a lot of steps have been taken to nip the demon in the bud. Now, three years after the Tokyo Olympics, the pertinent question is, have the measures helped? A question whose answer demands pondering! Moreover, the German gymnast’s retirement at 17 might create waves in the discussion.
Yes, a rising talent in the German gymnastics realm has recently announced her retirement from the sport. She is just 17 and was a 3rd-year senior while sealing her final decision. Is it a suitable age to say goodbye to gymnastics? Remember, in the Paris Olympics, the 27-year-old Simone competed in every artistic gymnastics event and left the Games winning three golds. Then why so early for Meolie Jauch? What made her put an end to her gymnastics career? The data claims her entrance in the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp, representing the German national team. Then what went wrong with her?
On December 18, Meolie Jauch shared two Instagram posts, penning her decision. In the detailed posts, she also disclosed the reason for her retirement. In March this year, the budding gymnast suffered an ACL injury in training. Subsequently, she missed every major contest the following March. Furthermore, her recovery took longer than others. Did those factors make her mind on giving up?
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In her Instagram posts, Meolie highlighted a major factor, the mental struggle. In the second part of her Instagram post, the German gymnast wrote, “I listen to my inner voice and quit elite sport. Not because I don’t want to fight anymore, not because my body can’t fight anymore—but because mentally it’s no longer possible.” That fight with herself made the gymnastics fans grieve. They found it hard to reconcile with her exit from the sport. One such fan wrote on Reddit, “That’s a retirement I truly didn’t expect. 😔 Meolie always seems super determined to come back from her ACL-tear, but she says she’s struggling mentally and doesn’t feel comfortable in the gym anymore. What a brave decision from her. I’m wishing her all the best!” The fan showed his/her emotions over the decision while also giving a shout-out to her for making up her mind.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Meolie Jauch (@meoliejauch)
Yes, retiring from an illustrious career needs grave reasons and bravery. Fortunately, Meolie Jauch possesses both. In her second post announcing her retirement, the teenage gymnast wrote, “The hall, which was my home for so long, is now a place where I no longer feel so comfortable. After ten years of competitive sports—full of good events but also some tearful and painful ones—I am now starting a new, completely different phase. It won’t be easy to fit into “normal everyday life”, but I’m looking forward to trying new things and exploring the world as Meolie.” After spending 14 long years in gymnastics, she surely felt shaken while writing those lines.
However, Meolie Jauch felt compelled to pen, not only to make a sudden exit from the sport but also to free herself from the pain of losing her life. After recovering from her injury, she felt herself not so suitable to take the weight of expectations on her. Nonetheless, last year, she featured in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Belgium. She helped her squad earn a ticket for the team event at the Paris Olympics. This year, she showed up in the Cottbus World Cup, the DTB Pokal team challenge, and the DTB Pokal Mixed Cup. In the meantime, Jauch never displayed any sluggishness in her performance. In fact, she tried to go beyond her limit, keeping her squad at the forefront. Did it hurt the cause?
In her post, Meolie didn’t take the name of any particular. But indeed, she mentioned the expectations manifested in her. She ultimately wrote, “After my cruciate ligament tear, I decided: I have to come back, just like all the other times before. But it felt different. I didn’t want to give up, but it was no longer my own will that drove me. It was the feeling of having to come back for everyone else—for those who looked up to me and whose expectations I had to fulfill. For those who knew me as the happy, always cheerful gymnast Meolie. I forgot that it was supposed to be about me.” That explains everything. And doesn’t it sound almost similar to what Simone called out?
Even Simone had once been pressed to the corner by the fans’ expectations. Every effort of hers seemed to fall short of fulfilling the fans’ expectations. The outcome was leading nowhere. But it pushed Biles on the brink of a mental struggle. Now, three years later, another gymnast experienced a similar issue. However, the gymnastics fans have found out a few more concerning reasons behind Meolie’s retirement decision.
Fans raised their voices against the German facility of the gymnast
Can a gymnastics facility pose challenges to a gymnast’s mental health? Several fans are positive about that. One such fan mentioned this on Reddit: “Very sad to see her go, but I wish her all the best and hope she finds her joy I wonder about the atmosphere at the Stuttgart facility as they had a fair few early retirements, for example with Petz and Alt, even if these were more due to physical than mental health struggles I believe.” Among them, Tabea Alt once stood to be the protagonist to take the German team to the 2016 Olympics in the team event. She also claimed the bronze medal in the World Championships next year in the balance beam event.
However, just like Meolie Jauch, Tabea Alt also belonged to the Stuttgart gymnastics facility. And just like Jauch, she also had to come under severe injuries. Finally, she retired from the sport, much ahead of a suitable time. That made the fans bring her story into the discussion. Coincidentally, today Alt left her comment on Instagram to shout out Jauch for her contribution to the sport. “You can be so proud of yourself! ❤️ much success and joy for your new chapter of life!” Just after the Rio Olympics, she announced her retirement from the sport. There’s another gymnast who celebrated Meolie’s decision.
On Instagram, Carina Kroell penned, “Dear Meo, you’ve not only won medals but also hearts ♥️ your courage to start a new chapter now shows true strength! It is hard to put into words how proud I am of you, not only for all your incredible accomplishments that you have achieved in your career but most of all for the person you are. Your talent, ambition, and radiance have touched so many people and I am endlessly grateful that I was allowed to be a part of it. You are not only a great gymnast for me, but above all a friend who inspires me to be stronger and braver. I’m excited to see where your life takes you. And one thing is for sure, you will shine in everything you do ⭐️In love, your buddy, Cari 💓” The lines frame the utmost love Carina nurtures for Meolie Jauch. Fortunately, Kroell is still on her gymnastics avenue. But in 2019, she felt question marks on her career.
In 2019, Kroell had to undergo surgery on her left hip and right knee. The recovery process took more than a year for her. However, she stood firm. She ultimately realized the cost of making a comeback through living those days. Now, she gave her flowers to Meolie for being motivational for her. Nonetheless, the fans have found it hard to accept the decision. Per them, her presence should have been the most essential in the team, especially after the Paris Olympics. But they also think that her reasons for saying goodbye are valid. One such fan noted on Reddit: “Wow, that’s really unexpected, and very sad to see her retire. It sounds like a very thoroughly thought-through decision, and her reasons are very convincing: If you are not comfortable any more with what you are doing, you shouldn’t continue doing it. Especially if you are doing a high-risk sport at elite levels. So: Good for her.” It seems like Meolie Jauch has her fans alongside her, despite having the retirement decision.
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In the meantime, another fan commented, “Dear Meo, unfortunately another great gymnast is saying goodbye from the stage. You can be proud of so much that you have already achieved. Take the positive with you and keep it in your heart, the pain hopefully heals me time. Wish you all the best for your future.” The statement stands justified, as in recent times, Meolie Jauch is another German gymnast retiring early after Kim Janas and Lisa Zimmermann. That raises questions about everything. Are they finding it hard to fit in with the pressure, or is there something deeper, resulting in the mental struggles? What is your take on the issue?
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