Olympic kayaker hopes for mental health openness

Kimberley Woods, from Rugby, won her bronze medal in the women’s kayak single (K1) final on Sunday

An Olympic athlete has said she hopes her bronze medal will encourage people to talk more openly about mental health issues and seek support.

Kimberley Woods, from Rugby, won her medal in a dramatic women’s kayak single (K1) final at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.

Woods has previously spoken about her experiences of depression and self-harm.

After her win on Sunday, she said her medal showed what was possible if you “just keep fighting, go out there, get the help you need”.

Woods, 28, has previously spoken about being bullied at school and struggling with low self-esteem, depression and self-harm as she got older.

She has also said that an intervention by her canoeing coach, Craig Morris, helped her to open up about her issues and marked a major turning point.

Woods’ boyfriend Elliot Woodman, who was in Paris on Sunday to watch her race, said her medal showed how strong she was and how hard she had worked.

“She’s worked really hard but also been mindful,” Mr Woodman said.

Woods is now gearing up to compete in kayak cross this week - a discipline making its Olympic debut in Paris and in which she is the reigning world champion.

Woods' grandparents were in Paris to watch the race, as well as her boyfriend

The bronze medallist’s grandparents were also in Paris on Sunday to cheer her on.

“I’m so proud of her – so, so proud of her. I couldn’t wish for anything more,” said Kathleen Woods, the athlete’s grandmother.

But Woods’ boyfriend and grandfather also said it was nerve-wracking to watch the race, in which Woods was in fourth place until Germany’s Ricarda Funk, the reigning champion, made an error late in the proceedings.

“[You’re] worried all the time,” her grandfather John Woods said of watching the event.

“Any move could be the wrong one.”