Podcast: Andrea Joyce discusses Simone Biles' decision to step away from competition in Tokyo

On Her Turf

Seasoned gymnastics reporter Andrea Joyce speaks with hosts M.J. Acosta-Ruiz and Lindsay Czarniak about the pressure Simone Biles was facing and why she made the right choice in deciding to withdraw from the Olympic team and individual all-around finals to focus on her mental health. Joyce says that when she started in the business, "nobody would have ever, ever, ever admitted to having any kind of problem" with mental health, but progress is being made as more athletes like Biles and Michael Phelps share their stories. 

Olympic cyclist Amber Neben, 46, joins On Her Turf to discuss how she hopes to inspire people of all ages to pursue their goals and the growth she wants to see in the gender equality of cycling. She also details what she learned from her journey as a cancer survivor and the wisdom she has gleaned throughout her career. "I think it's really important to learn to love the process," she said. "Just see how your own personal and those intangibles within you are developed as you go through the hard stuff and you go through a sport like cycling." 

Acosta-Ruiz and Lindsay Czarniak wrap up the episode by talking to Pepper Persley, who may be the youngest sports reporter in the business. The 10-year-old explains how she got started in journalism, her approach to being written off as "cute" and her strategy for planning interview questions. 

You can listen to this episode of On Her Turf on Apple Podcasts or below: 

View social media post: https://art19.com/shows/on-her-turf/episodes/321b7347-bcd8-4236-ba09-ed8933ae0553