‘I was bullied and wanted to die – now I’m going for Gold in the Olympics’

Athletes from across the world have come together for this year’s Paris Olympic Games, each with their own stories and backgrounds that have shaped them into who they are today. It’s safe to say becoming an Olympic athlete isn’t a walk in the park and when you’re faced with personal battles that journey can seem almost impossible at times.

One athlete who has been through a tremendous amount in the lead-up to her second appearance at the Olympics is British canoeist Kimberley Woods. After battling years of bullying, depression and self-harm, the now 28 year old is more determined than ever to secure herself a gold medal, after narrowly missing out during the final of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Kimberley missed out on a medal during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
(Image: Getty Images)

Kimberley, who hails from Rugby, took an interest in canoeing from a young age and after mastering a 50 metre swim stepped into a boat at the age of eight. She went on to compete and came away with three medals and a fourth place during her first junior world’s competition.

However, it wasn’t all triumphant as at the same time Kimberley was sadly being bullied about her physique at school. During an interview with The Guardian, she shared: “Most of the time I owned it. I was like: ‘So what? I need strong arms for sport.’ But of course I felt self-conscious being around girls and women who don’t look like that. I spent many a bus ride home crying.”

The Team GB star said she was bullied for around six years, between the ages of eight and 14. She told the publisher: “I’d love a conversation with them now and see where they’re at because I’m going to my second Olympics. But I was a bully’s dream as they always got a reaction out of me.”

She also admitted that she dealt with the bullying “on her own” and didn’t even let her parents or three siblings see her cry at home. In 2015, Kimberley tore an anterior cruciate ligament and was forced to temporarily stop canoeing.

‘I spent many a bus ride home crying’, the canoeist recalled
(Image: Garry Bowden/REX/Shutterstock)

Kimberley hopes to take home a medal at the Paris Olympics this summer
(Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)

This took a toll on Kimberley’s mental health as she said: “My only outlet then was self-harming, and it was really hard to get out of that habit. As soon as something got hard that was my immediate response because physical pain was easier than emotional pain. I kept everything to myself and hid it.”

While living in a house with other canoeists they spotted her arms and her coach Craig Morris sat down with Kimberley to ask her what was wrong. Kimberley said she “broke down” during their conversation and “admitted everything”, she explained that it felt like a “weight had been lifted”.

Craig has remained in Kimberley’s life as a coach since she was 15 and is like a “father figure”, as they see each other “almost every day”. Kimberley shared she self-harmed “on and off for three or four years”, but said most of the time it didn’t affect her training.

At her lowest, Kimberley said she even considered taking her own life as she thought it would be an “easier escape”, but said, “It was too hard” to not “think about other people.” The 28 year old explained that she hasn’t self-harmed since a race, just before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Today Kimberley has different strategies to avoid self-harming and seeks support from her partner Elliott or coach Craig. She also explained that she has a hairband on her wrist she “flicks” to change the “senses”.

If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this story you can contact Samaritans in the UK and Ireland on freephone 116 123, or email [email protected] or [email protected]

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