Olympians give back to their communities through Athletes for Good
Gus Kenworthy, Nastia Liukin, Mariah Duran, Alice Dearing, Brian Afanador and Erica Sullivan discuss how they are able to change lives via the joint IOC-IPC-P&G initiative.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and Worldwide Olympic Partner P&G are helping Olympians give back to their communities, providing funds and resources to those most in need, through the P&G Athletes for Good fund.
Over US$ 500,000 is being donated to charities supporting families through natural disasters, teaching people to swim, providing opportunities for women in sport, raising awareness for the LGBTQ+ community and much more.
Olympic medallists Gus Kenworthy and Nastia Liukin hosted a virtual panel with Tokyo 2020 Olympians Mariah Duran, Alice Dearing, Brian Afanador and Erica Sullivan on Thursday (5 August) to find out how the P&G Athletes for Good initiative had enabled them to lift up people in their communities.
READ: Athletes For Good Fund awards more than US$ 500,000 to causes supported by Olympic and Paralympic athletes
When Team USA Olympian Mariah Duran started skateboarding, she struggled to find many other women to share her passion with.
That changed when she went to compete at an event organised by Skate like a Girl, who put on competitions designed to increase female participation in the sport.
“I didn’t have any female skating friends in New Mexico,” the 24-year-old said. “But I found a community of women through their events. I continued to attend that event and I wouldn’t be the skater I am today if it wasn’t for that.
“I was skating with the top female girls and it brought everyone into one room. We were all skaters and you can’t put a price tag on that.
Sport gives you confidence and I want to make that more of a conversation so women can find that gateway to confidence through sport. - Mariah Duran
Alice Dearing became the first black woman to swim for Great Britain at the Olympic Games at Tokyo 2020.
Her P&G Athletes for Good funds were given to the Black Swimming Association, a charity that encourages more black people to swim.
Part of their aim is to decrease the drowning rate within these communities.
“It helps to break the stigma that black people don’t swim,” she said. “We wanted to make a change and extend that to the rest of the world, especially in Africa where there are entirely black nations.
“We have been paying out of our own pockets to support the charity at the moment, so these funds will make such a difference to the impact that we can have.”
Brian Afanador is Puerto Rico’s first Olympic representative in table tennis.
He has been raising money through the “Yo No Me Quito” (“I Will Not Quit”) foundation to support people affected by Hurricane Maria and other natural disasters.
“It was founded in 2016 with the purpose of inspiring people,” he said. “We also had an economic crash in Puerto Rico at this time too and there was negativity all through the media too.
“After the hurricane and the earthquake, the country was devastated. The foundation and I linked up and are helping people in need around the island with money for food etc. We want to promote a positive vibe and help them however they need, including psychologically too.
“We want to help younger generations get into table tennis so that they can get out of the street. It’s not a physical sport. It can inspire them to be positive, so the funds are helping us open as many centres as possible on the island.”
As a gay Asian-American, swimmer Erica Sullivan has experienced prejudice throughout her life.
She is now raising awareness and increasing education about the LGBTQ+ community.
“When I came out, there was a narrative that you wouldn’t get any better or faster from that point onwards,” she said. “That narrative was just emotionally gruelling. That made me angry and didn’t make sense.
“My improvement came post-coming out, and I made all my national teams in open water swimming and swimming. I want to change the narrative to make coming out like a weight lifted off your shoulders, which will make you a better athlete and a happier person."
Kenworthy, who came out as gay in 2015, echoed this sentiment, saying, “It is total relief and liberation once you’re out, and you become more present and grounded, meaning you can perform better during practice or competition.
“When you’re able to speak your truth it’s liberating and also beautiful because it’ll have a positive impact on other people too.”