Lara Gut-Behrami: “In sports, you’re a hero, but inside you’re devastated.”

«In sports, we mainly sell the myth of heroes and, in doing so, forget the human side. You don’t really know what pressure means until you experience it yourself … In sports, it’s not easy to show your weaknesses. You create an aura of invincibility, act confident, but inside you’re devastated.»

«I remember that when I was 17, I didn’t want to talk about my goals. A Swiss journalist really tore me apart and wrote that I was an unlikable bitch—just because I had asked a journalist, with a smile, if he had any more questions. The following week, I went into the event feeling like that’s exactly how people all over Switzerland saw me…. You get caught in a vicious cycle of paranoia.»

«When an American says, “I want to win five gold medals at the Olympics,” that’s fantastic—he has the mindset of a winner. “But if, on the other hand, a Swiss person says, ‘I’m not satisfied with the silver medal,’ they’re immediately labeled: ‘He’s showing off; you’re arrogant, conceited—you’re not humble.’”»

«Ever since I met my husband, I've taken control of my life again. Athletes live in a fantasy world, but real life is completely different. To this day, giving up social media has been the best decision I've ever made.»

«I understand that my life has become a little more interesting [to the public]. But every photo, every post, every video is used as a means to chase a headline. Genuine feelings, on the other hand, are ignored.»

«When we moved to Udine, I was doing well because there I could finally feel like an adult—something I hadn't been able to do in Switzerland, where everyone still treated me like the 18-year-old girl they'd seen on TV.»

«When my mind couldn't grasp that things weren't working out, my body would speak up.»

«The problem with skiing is that you’re constantly on the go … You live in a fantasy world and call things “friendships” that aren’t really friendships at all. And you tend to refer to the world of skiing as a “family.” But that has very little to do with a real family, because once you quit, no one remembers you anymore.»

«But don't expect the whole ski community to look out for you. You'll be forgotten there in no time … What bothers me is the hypocrisy, even on social media»

«It's dangerous to be satisfied with what I've achieved. I can't and won't settle for that. I'm working hard so that tomorrow I can ski even faster than I do today.»