Athletes share their 2024 New Year’s resolutions (and some past ones they just couldn’t keep)

With New Year upon us, it’s the perfect time to start afresh by making (and hopefully keeping) resolutions for 2024.

In an Olympic year, it’s not difficult to imagine those of many athletes whose biggest goal will be to qualify for - and even win medals at - Paris 2024.

However, while the upcoming Games may well be the main focus of attention, sporting pursuits aren’t the only goals these ambitious sport stars have resolved to achieve over the upcoming year.

Discover a selection of their New Year’s resolutions, as well as some they have found just too hard to stick to in years gone by.

Changing up the diet for the new year

After the well-deserved excesses of the holiday season, one of the most common resolutions people make is to change their diets.

For want-to-be and soon-to-be Olympians, the choices they make to fuel their athletic pursuits can have a great impact on their performance.

But even the greatest athletes have their weak spots.

For British marathon runner Chris Thompson, the tasty treat he’s found impossible to ditch is a British staple: crisps.

“They are my guilty pleasure since as long as I can remember,” he told Olympics.com. “Since the standard bag size has become a party-size bag it hasn’t helped.

“I’ve managed a few times to keep off them for a short amount of time as a New Year’s resolution, but they are my treat I keep going back to.”

American swimmer Carson Foster has had an equally hard time sticking to his diet-based New Year’s resolutions. Although in a sport where you burn huge amounts of energy every day, that’s not always a bad thing.

“I've tried to do no added sugar a couple of times but it's just so hard and especially as athletes, you're burning so many calories that you kinda eat whatever you can,” he said, before later revealing one treat that most certainly won’t be off the menu in 2024.

“Me and my fiance always love getting ice cream. I don't get it often just because I'm training and I wanna be in good shape or something, but we'll probably get it once every two weeks. We'll go out and get some ice cream. That's my favourite kind of cheat item.”

Life-changing decisions and a time to give thanks

One athlete who stuck firmly to her New Year’s resolution is Brazilian rugby sevens star Luiza Campos, who made the decision to up sticks from her hometown in the south of the country to live under the bright lights of Brazil’s most populous city.

And while the adaptation must have been hard, the results of her efforts are now clear for everyone to see, becoming a two-time Olympian by competing at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

“My hardest New Year’s resolution was having to decide whether I would move to São Paulo and live the life of an athlete, or whether I would stay in Porto Alegre and live a normal life,” she explained.

“I'm glad I chose to come to São Paulo.”

For fellow Brazilian Marcus D’Almeida, the men’s individual recurve archery silver medallist at the 2021 World Championships, the new year is more about giving thanks for what you have than making resolutions that may not stand the test of time.

“I was raised by my mother to say thank you on New Year’s Eve,” he explained. “It's hard to ask for something, you know? So I can't remember what I’ve asked for but I can remember everything I was grateful for.

“And I have a lot to be thankful for this year.”

Life goals, sport goals and basic human necessities

Of course, no aspiring Olympian will head into the year without at least one resolution relating to the upcoming Games.

"I think in terms of swimming or maybe even my daily life, it’s trying to be disciplined off the wall,” said British swimmer and two-time Olympic gold medallist James Guy.

“But in terms of every day, to be a bit more full of energy, a bit more than being blasé and a bit tired. Try to ignore that and how you feel, put it to one side and be a bit more energetic and a bit more grateful for where we are today."

Cape Verde boxer Nancy Moreira will be making a resolution shared by thousands of aspiring Olympians over the upcoming months.

“Undoubtedly it would be to fight hard to qualify for the Olympics,” she told us. “I am willing to do everything possible to achieve that.”

For Brazilian skateboarder Gabi Mazetto, the resolution is a wish that every athlete can relate to. "I'd like to have a good year and be free from injury," she said simply.

And for fellow skateboarder and compatriot Pamela Rosa there is an even more basic human necessity that she’s hoping to enjoy after the exhausting schedule of a year that saw her pick up silver at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

"To get some rest!" the 24-year-old exclaimed.

Being kinder to yourself in 2024

Of course, with so many lofty goals in an Olympic year, it’s easy to lose sight of the journey you are on - one that may come with ups and downs along the way.

For Italian taekwondo star Simone Alessio, one resolution he is determined to keep involves accepting that things won’t always go the way you want them to, and realising that the most important thing is to focus on your broader ambitions.

“My resolution for the end of the year is to not get so easily frustrated but to look at the big picture and not one single aspect," he said.

“The year [2023] began well but ended quite badly with three competitions where I didn’t medal, so the phrase that has been with me throughout the year is ‘Everything is good for Paris’...

“I would tell myself, ‘No, I’ve lost, it’s shameful, damn it, I had to do more.’ When in reality, my team told me, ‘But you’re doing well, don’t worry, trust in the process.'

“So maybe my New Year’s resolution is to not look at my individual mistakes but to look at the entire process.”