The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics: failure and burnout do not define you
"Our View" is prepared by the Editorial Board and should be considered the institutional voice of The Record.
During the recent 2026 Winter Olympics, we watched as many athletes faced hardships during the season that left rattling impacts on their careers. Coming up to such pivotal events such as the Olympics, these athletes continuously strain themselves mentally and physically to be able to strive for gold. This year, we saw many examples of athletes putting themselves under intense pressure and eventually cracking.
Many United States athletes were set to take home gold yet fell short to mental and physical pressures and challenges.
Ilia Malinin, a 21-year-old figure skater for the U.S. team, fell twice during the men’s free skate event. When asked in an interview if Malinin felt his struggles on the ice were mental or physical — he said mental. “I think it was mental. I mean, just now finally experiencing that Olympic atmosphere, it’s crazy. It’s not like any other competition,” said Malinin.
A few days later, Ilia Malinin went to social media to share his struggles with his fans. “On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” said Malinin via Instagram. “Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. Vile online hatred attacks the mind and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane through the endless insurmountable pressure. It all builds up as these moments flash before your eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash.”
Jake Pates, a snowboarder for the U.S. team, came out of his retirement which began in 2020, for the 2026 Winter Olympics. He has opened up about mental health struggles as well, often speaking up about them at press conferences.
In an interview with CBC Sports, Pates shares his own stories and struggles with competition pressure, sponsorship responsibilities, romantic relationships and friendships, which led him to use substances to distract or ease the pain.
“In the moment it feels like substances will kill the pain… that ended up making it worse. I had to step away and take time to find myself again. I had already basically lost hope and belief in myself that I could continue in this sport,” said Pates via CBC Sports.
It’s not only Olympic athletes that put this pressure on themselves though; we see it all throughout campus in our friends, our classmates and those who spend long nights in the library stressing over an upcoming exam or deadline. There are no visible boundaries of how far one can push themselves when it comes to academic or athletic excellence, and often many will exceed their limits and experience exhaustion, burnout or disappointment in their outcome.
As students though, we should be actively pushing our boundaries, but there are some limits we can’t beneficially surpass within ourselves. First-year student and track and field athlete, Lauren Masica shared, “Pressure sharpens you; it forces preparation and discipline. It’s why you review one more section, push a little harder on each rep, and stay ten minutes longer. That edge matters”. But with acknowledging the need for strict dedication, Lauren mentions the hardships that entail alongside excellence, “Sometimes it’s heavy. Countless hours sacrificed at the track or library when friends are hanging out takes a toll. Feeling like you miss out on things because of your sport or major due to your academic or athletic load is something I feel a lot of students can relate to.”
Carrying the heavy burden of overstressing yourself is an exhausting weight that begins to affect other aspects of your life. Without being mindful of our personal needs and wants, we tend to lose motivation for our academic and athletic performance. Burnout is very real and common, especially for college students. Our current lives are oriented around building our careers, but this doesn’t mean we can be constantly focused on these goals. It’s necessary to integrate hobbies, quality time with friends and deserved breaks into our busy lives.
The Well Being Center at CSB+SJU can be a good resource for burnout and stress. To contact: 320-363-5605
Though we’ll never be Olympic athletes, we do know what it is like to carry expectations. It’s very easy to encapsulate yourself solely in the pursuit of academic and athletic success, that we often forget to give ourselves grace. At the end of the day, college doesn’t last forever – don’t lose yourself in the process.