Lizzie Simmonds: “Who am I and what is my purpose?”
Sep 29, 2019, 06:00 AM
Lizzie Simmonds is one of Britain’s most successful swimmers.
She is a double European Champion, a 13-time British Champion, a double Olympian and a Commonwealth silver medallist – that’s just a short list of her achievements.
The 28-year-old retired from the sport back in July 2018 but things have been far from simple since then.
The 28-year-old retired from the sport back in July 2018 but things have been far from simple since then.
When you’ve lived for most of your life as an elite athlete – chasing targets and aiming to go as fast as you can – there is a massive void to fill when you take it away.
That’s proved to be particularly challenging for Lizzie as she struggled to come to terms with her loss of identity.
Not only that, but the current vice chair of the BOA Athletes' Commission also admits to struggling with her emotions at competitions - too often she would believe her self-worth as a person was wrapped up with her success in the pool.
In this feature interview Lizzie speaks to Alasdair Hooper all about her life after sport – the identity crisis, the battle with self-worth, and also the challenges of seeing your body change once you retire.
But, through the hardship, the 28-year-old has learnt a lot and she is ready to pass on her knowledge to the next generation.
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Credits
Image credit: With thanks to Lizzie Simmonds and The Mintridge Foundation
Music: Otis McDonald