Olympic silver medalist talks about depression: needed help

German walker Jonathan Hilbert suffered from depression after his silver medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo four years ago. He underwent psychotherapeutic treatment, Hilbert told Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk radio. "It was extremely crucial that I admitted to myself that I needed professional help."

After his success at the Olympics - the biggest of his career to date - he fell into a mental hole, said Hilbert. In addition, his showpiece discipline, the 50-kilometre walk, was removed from the Olympic program. The Thuringia native was unable to cope with the new 35-kilometre distance.

Hilbert sought support last year

"At the end of the day, you think: I'm not a good athlete, I'm not a good person, I'm actually inferior, I was perhaps a one-hit wonder," Hilbert told us. The 30-year-old sought professional support last year.

In addition to therapy, he turned his life around, moved in with his girlfriend in Leipzig and changed his coach. "We have a very clear vision for 2028," said Hilbert. That's when the Olympic Games in Los Angeles are coming up. Before then, the track and field athlete will make his comeback on the big stage in September at the World Championships - in Tokyo of all places.