Content warning: sexual abuse, eating disorders
Something I have noticed after years of interviewing elite athletes is a tendency they have to speak in inspirational soundbites. I think it’s sometimes a way of underplaying some of the hardships that they endured on their rise, even though most people know an athlete is made, not born. It can also be a way of steering a conversation away from the negative and toward the positive. Many of these athletes are trained not to dwell on mistakes and to focus on winning, and it often shows when you ask them to reflect on something difficult—an injury, a fall at a critical time, not making either a team or a lineup.
Maggie Nichols’ memoir, Unstoppable, which was released Jan. 16, 2024, is a study in the technique. While she discusses her career lowlights and goes into detail about the abuse she suffered under Larry Nassar as well as its repercussions, her focus, overall, is on her successes. To that end, she even veers at times into braggadocio—and you know what? Good for her. Women are often told to downplay their achievements or attribute them to luck, and to hear an athlete say something along the lines of “I’m good and I know it” is refreshing. I can see how it may annoy some; however, I personally find an elite…
