Essay: Depression in sport

"The streets of Kelly Holmes' hometown in Kent, UK, were lined with more than 40 000 people in September, 2004, waiting to welcome home their hero. Holmes, the winner of the 800 m and 1500 m track gold medals at the Athens Olympics, is the first Briton in more than 80 years to achieve the Olympic middle-distance double. Later awarded the title of Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Holmes was indeed living the dream. Her dream was, however, laced with nightmares. Her battles with depression in the lead up to her Olympic successes now a matter of public record, she provides a graphic example that even elite athletes are susceptible to one of society's largest problems-depression."--p. 36.