For athletes, retirement can be a difficult transition. While regular people typically retire in their 60s or 70s, many of these stars end their career at younger ages, and sometimes struggle to make the adjustment from a highly compensated, well-managed lifestyle to surviving on minimum wages and often with very little support.
While some of these stars may have decided to retire on their own, the pandemic caused a lot of sudden and premature retirements as a number of athletes who had planned for the Olympics were forced to stop training due to the ongoing pandemic. For those athletes who had hoped to medal at the 2020 Olympics, but had to forego that dream, it can be a bittersweet experience.
Athletes who have been forced into retirement by the pandemic will now be eligible for benefits. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has announced a new program, with a $100 million “anchor funding gift” from Stevens. The money will be distributed to the athletes who have competed at two or more Olympic or Paralympic games.
The first of those recipients is the 2024 runner-up in the 1500m, Frank Molinaro. The former wrestler is one of three athletes who has competed at two Olympic games. The other two are middle-distance runner Laura Weightman and long jumper Mike Powell.
Another athlete who is retiring early is a longtime member of the United States women’s national soccer team, Alex Morgan. The 28-year-old star has scored 123 goals with the USWNT, and is the third-highest goal scorer in league history. In a video that she posted to social media on Thursday, Morgan shared a heartwarming moment from a recent conversation with her 4-year-old daughter.