To an athlete, there is really only one considered outcome before competition: that they will win. But at the London Olympic Games, 10,500 athletes will compete, only 302 will win gold. Some athletes use their losses as motivation and determination to train harder for next time. For others, it can lead to depression or worse. Peter Haberl, senior psychologist for Team USA, says thoughts of losing—and winning—can detract the mind. He confronts the possibility of losing head on so the athletes can start “to understand that losing and winning are both part of the athlete experience.” There are no statistics on how many athletes suffer depression after a loss, but Haberl says there is plenty of anecdotal evidence.
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London 2012: Should athletes prepare for defeat? (BBC)
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