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Olympian Mindset: Resilience Beyond Sport
Manage episode 474621639 series 3592402
In this episode, I reconnect with an old friend and two-time Olympian, Mirela "Mimi" Rahneva.
Known for her fearless approach to skeleton racing—hurling headfirst down ice tracks at 130 km/h—Mirela built an incredible career, earning three Crystal Globes, 15 World Cup medals, and a historic bronze at the IBSF World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
She also competed at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where she finished 5th.
But beyond the medals and records, we dive into her personal story: the mental demands of high-performance sport, the sacrifices behind the success, and the tough transition into life after competition. Mimi shares the identity struggles of retirement, the financial barriers in elite athletics, and the mindset shifts that carried her through it all.
We also explore:
✅ How she discovered skeleton racing after a career in national-level rugby
✅ The power of visualization and mental performance in elite sport
✅ Her work with Fast and Female, Classroom Champions, and KidSport Calgary
✅ What it really takes to sustain a long career in high-performance sport
✅ Navigating the fear and uncertainty of starting over
Whether you're an athlete, coach, or anyone facing big life transitions, Mirela’s journey is packed with insights on resilience, reinvention, and embracing the unknown.
🔊 Listen now!
Website: https://parastoobadie.com/podcast/
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @asliceofhumblepiewithp2
Chapters
1. Meeting Two-Time Olympian Mirella Reneva (00:00:00)
2. Finding Skeleton: The Beginning of a Career (00:02:47)
3. World Cup Gold in St. Moritz (00:14:06)
4. Mental Game: Entering the Flow State (00:25:32)
5. Balancing Sport with Life and Education (00:40:03)
6. The Challenge of Retirement and Identity (00:54:22)
7. Youth Mentorship and Community Impact (01:11:15)
8. Professional Support in Athletic Transition (01:23:59)
33 episodes
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