One year on from what Olivia Mathias admits was one of her darkest days as a triathlete, the Commonwealth Games silver medalist is clearly starting to feel her competitive mojo once again.
A stunning third-place finish at the recent WTCS Alghero served not only as a major sporting success, but for an athlete who had seriously started to doubt her own abilities, it was also a massive boost to her flagging confidence.
Cagliari 2024 a dark time
It was only 12 months earlier that the 26-year-old Nottingham athlete had endured a moment of crisis so intense that she pulled out of the race altogether in Cagliari – despite her family already being on their way to Sardinia to cheer her on.
To be able to achieve a podium place on the same island, with those same members of her family in attendance last week, it was a moment that she now hopes will go a long way to not only banishing her own inner doubts, but also help in building her up for further success.
Her family ended up acting as an emotional support blanket in 2024 as they stayed and watched her close friend Sophie Caldwell and boyfriend Alex Yee compete. Their support was not only unconditional but also essential as she worked her way through the maze of doubts.
Olivia reveals struggles
Writing on her Instagram page, World No.17 Mathias – who won Mixed Relay silver for Wales at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022 – explained the emotions that were flooding through her as she finally achieved success on the Italian island.
“A year ago I pulled off the start-list of WTCS Cagliari,” she wrote. “I was struggling a lot mentally, didn’t feel good enough and was losing the love for what I was doing.
“My family were already on their way to watch me. They still travelled to watch Soph and Alex, but I felt like I’d let them down. This year they got to see me get my first WTCS podium on the same Island
“Only my closest people know how much I’ve struggled with confidence but they always kept the belief around me and I started to believe again. Never listen when others put you down, instead, prove them wrong.
“Grateful for my people, thankyou thankyou Let’s keep going !!! xxx. ️️”
The next stage of the WTCS will see the competition move onto the French Riviera on August 31.
