Javelin thrower overcame panic to become European Championship gold medal favorite

Norwegian javelin thrower Sigrid Borge, once crippled by performance anxiety, is now a gold medal contender at the European Championships. For years, the thought of competing induced nausea, breathing difficulties, and sleepless nights. Borge's transformation began when she started a daily routine of coffee and journaling, meticulously writing down and repeating eleven positive affirmations each morning.

Borge described the panic she experienced, which escalated after injuries in 2019 (elbow) and 2021 (knee). The recovery process was arduous, and each competition brought intense dread and a conviction that she would perform poorly. She would wake up at night with shortness of breath and nausea, experiencing significant physical discomfort for a couple of years before seeking help. Borge realized her anxiety was linked to a fear of failure following her extended injury period and the psychological toll of consistently underperforming.

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Han nevnte en annen tidligere idrettsutøver som fortalte at hun gikk inn i alle konkurranser med et ønske om å vinne. Da tenkte jeg med meg selv at det har jeg aldri tenkt før.

In 2024, Borge changed coaches and training environments, which initially helped. However, the anxiety resurfaced during the 2025 World Championship qualifiers, manifesting as tunnel vision, heavy legs, and a racing heart, leaving her desperate to escape. This prompted her to seek professional help, contacting a sports psychologist in January of the current year. She also began practicing mindfulness daily. A key insight from her psychologist was the realization that she had never approached competition with the intention to win, unlike other athletes.

This realization led Borge to consciously separate her "private Sigrid" from her "competition Sigrid." Previously, she would carry her personal self onto the field, expending energy trying to manage the perceptions and comfort of those around her. Now, she focuses on her performance, aiming for victory, a significant shift from her past approach of simply trying to get through the event.

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Jeg hadde aldri tenkt at jeg skulle vinne noe. Det har bare vært vanskelig for meg.