Beth Potter Reflects on Her Paris Olympic Journey and Two Bronze Medals
Beth Potter’s incredible performance at the Paris Olympics, where she won two bronze medals, marked a significant milestone in her career. Reflecting on the experience, she described the whirlwind of emotions she’s been navigating since. “It’s been quite up and down emotionally,” she shared. "I haven't had much time at home, and everything has felt like a whirlwind since the Games.”
Speaking to Adam Leitch for the latest episode of our 'Face to Face' series, Potter admitted she felt a mix of emotions on the startline in Paris, "I was confident in my ability, but with the wet conditions, anything could happen,” she said, noting the unpredictability of crashes and other factors that made the event even more challenging.
Her preparation and focus on improving her swim and bike over the past two years paid off. Potter was thrilled with her swim performance, saying, “I’ve really worked hard to be in that front group, and I’m happy with where my swim is at." Coming out of the water in the top four, Potter was in prime position to fight for a medal.
However, Potter candidly admitted that she struggled to find her stride on the run, something she had been grappling with throughout the year. “I don’t know why, but this year I’ve been finding it harder to feel like myself on the run. I had to mentally talk myself through it, but I knew I wasn’t going home without a medal.”
The pressure of living up to expectations was a constant companion, both from herself and external sources. “There’s definitely pressure I put on myself, but also from sponsors and others who have invested time in me,” she explained. Having missed out on Rio due to illness, Potter was determined to perform well in Paris and not let the Olympics “curse” her again.
After winning bronze in the individual event, Potter expressed a sense of relief. “I was just relieved it was all over. I know that sounds anticlimactic, but I was glad it was done.” The journey, while challenging, was something she cherished, especially her training in Spain and the support from her family, who came out to cheer her on.
In the relay, Potter took on the final leg with determination, despite knowing the pressure she faced. “Our team strategy was to commit to the race, and I gave it my all,” she said. Though the race didn’t go perfectly, Potter’s efforts helped secure a second bronze for Team GB. “It was an exciting race, and to think that after 80 minutes of racing, it all came down to half a second separating gold from bronze—it's brilliant for our sport.”
Despite the successes, Potter has been grappling with a mix of emotions, including self-doubt. “It’s been weird. I thought winning two medals would make me really happy, but there’s been a lot of ‘what-ifs’ and questions about my self-worth.” She admits that even after becoming a world champion the previous year, she found it hard to enjoy the victories, always thinking ahead to the next challenge.
Potter has also found it difficult to deal with the social media scrutiny. “Most of the comments are positive, but it’s the negative ones that stick with you,” she said. “Some people ask insensitive questions, like how I feel about winning bronze. It’s hard when people don’t realize how difficult it is to perform on one specific day after years of preparation.”
