Australian Olympian Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva has revealed how gymnastics took a heavy toll on her body. She said that years of overtraining and malnutrition caused major health problems throughout her career.

Kiroi-Bogatyreva trained up to 10 hours a day, six days a week, but acknowledged she did not get proper nutrition.

“I was so driven that injuries didn’t stop me,” Kiroi-Bogatyreva told ABC Sport. “I really wanted to achieve my goals, show the world what I’m capable of, and give back to my family... The sport demands significant physical commitment, as well as considerable psychological resilience.”

The gymnast revealed it also impacted her menstrual health.

"No one really questioned why or if it’s OK for that to be happening,” she said.

Later, doctors explained that her body was overworked and undernourished.

“I was told, ‘You’re malnourished, you are overtrained, and your body just doesn’t have the energy,’” Kiroi-Bogatyreva said. "Before that, I never really linked it with my food intake or how many hours I trained at the gym," she added.

She retired from elite gymnastics at 22 years old, older than most rhythmic gymnasts who retire before their twenties.

Athletes Push for Better Education Around Women’s Health in Sport

Kiroi-Bogatyreva’s story is featured in the ABC Elite Athletes in Australian Women’s Sport Survey, which looked at how female athletes experience nutrition and recovery within elite sport systems.

Some athletes surveyed reported instances of their health issues being dismissed.

Experts at the discussion cautioned that long-term under-fuelling could lead to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), a condition that affects hormones, bone strength, and recovery.

Now, athletes and health professionals are calling for better education on these issues.

Kiroi-Bogatyreva, who is now a coach herself, hopes future gymnasts have a healthier environment than she had.

She says coaches have a big role in changing the culture around overtraining, nutrition, and athlete well-being in gymnastics.

Read more at the Gymnastics Digest!

Written by

Chitrak Mukherjee

Edited by

Sahil Prashar