Caeli McKay feel in love with the sport of diving at the age of 6 and decided to leave home at 16 to pursue her Olympic dream by training with a 3x Olympic Medalist who eventually became her mentor, synchro partner and friend. Suffering a career threatening injury just before the Tokyo games, she relied heavily on visualization to stay motivated placing 4th in the Olympics. In addition to sharing her process for success, Caeli dives into her personal struggles with anxiety, depression and an eating disorder exacerbated by “positive feedback” from others regarding how “fit” she appeared in a televised competition.  Her experiences and knowledge have created a passion for mental health advocacy and the importance of creating an identity outside of one’s sport.

 

@caemckay, @thehiddenopponent