Women in Sport - A conversation with Janet Richard
We sat down with Janet Richard, Maltese Sprinter (specializing in 400m) and Ambassador for Mediterranean College of Sport, for an open and powerful conversation about what it really means to be a women in sport.
Sprinting is a high-intensity track and field discipline that requires explosive power, flawless technique, and split-second timing to maximize speed over short distances. While it appears straightforward, the sport is technically complex, demanding precise stride mechanics, efficient starts, and optimal acceleration. Mentally, sprinters must master focus, reaction time, and the ability to perform under immense pressure, where races can be won or lost in fractions of a second.
Janet, you recently competed in the Games of the Small States of Europe. How was that experience for you, both in terms of performance and personal growth?
In the lead-up to the games, I was dealing with some personal issues and serious health complications within my family. This deeply affected my focus and motivation to train. At one point, I even considered not going at all. But knowing I was part of three relay events in addition to my individual race, I didn’t want to let the team down. The games themselves are always emotionally intense. As athletes, there’s a lot of pressure to perform and bring home medals. On top of that, I was juggling the demands of my master’s course (if I wasn’t on the track, I was in my hotel room working on my thesis). Throughout the week, I experienced a flood of emotions: fatigue, stress, panic, joy, and ultimately, relief. Now that some time has passed and I’ve had the chance to reflect, I realize that while my individual performance didn’t meet my expectations, the fact that I made it to the start line at all is something I’m immensely proud of. Walking away with three medals made me appreciate just how far I’ve come in terms of personal growth.
“[…] the fact that I made it to the start line at all is something I’m immensely proud of. Walking away with three medals made me appreciate just how far I’ve come in terms of personal growth.”
Can you walk us through a typical day of training? How do you strike a balance between physical conditioning and mental preparation, especially in such a high pressure sport?
Since I’m not a professional athlete, I have to juggle my sporting, academic, and professional careers simultaneously which makes for very busy days. I usually start early in the morning to fit in my first workout before heading to work or lectures. These morning sessions are generally focused on working on my weaknesses, such as specific conditioning or endurance training. After that, my day is typically filled with placements, work, or lectures. Then, in the evening, I head to the track for my main session of the day with my coach. Being in the mental health field has definitely helped me with mental preparation both for major competitions and for challenging training sessions. However, I have to admit, this is not something I was ever formally guided in; I had to figure it out on my own. In track and field, there’s still a strong mentality that performance is purely about physical training. Unfortunately, we’re rarely given the psychological tools to prepare ourselves mentally, which I believe is one of the reasons many athletes I know are experiencing burnout. For years, I tried to compartmentalize the different aspects of my life. I thought that while I was at the track, I should only be focused on training. But I quickly realized that this approach didn’t work for me. Instead, I started practicing mindfulness and being generally kinder to myself. If I knew I had a tough day at work, for example, I would try to adjust my session accordingly, rather than push through mindlessly.
“I had to figure it out on my own. In track and field, there’s still a strong mentality that performance is purely about physical training.”
Have there been moments in your career where staying silent about pain, fatigue or emotional struggles came at a cost physically or mentally?
I’m inherently the kind of person who tends to bottle things up until I eventually implode. Unfortunately, this has happened more often than I’d like to admit, even during my athletic career. There were times when I was going through extremely stressful periods but didn’t feel comfortable opening up to anyone. That unprocessed stress and anxiety began to manifest physically, particularly as increased muscular tension. At one point, this led to a severe hamstring tear that took me out of the competitive season entirely. It was a tough lesson in how closely connected the mind and body really are. Aside from that injury, I’ve also experienced both mental and physical blocks during training and competition, moments where it feels like my body just shuts down and refuses to do what I’m asking of it. It’s a scary sensation. My body feels heavy, weak, and unresponsive, and I’ve come to understand that this is often a result of the emotional weight I’ve been carrying.
“That unprocessed stress and anxiety began to manifest physically, particularly as increased muscular tension.”
In your experience, are female athletes adequately supported during recovery, injuries or periods of emotional burnout? Or is there still work to be done?
Unfortunately, we are still far from where we need to be in terms of supporting female athletes. While awareness and research around women in sport have undoubtedly increased, I rarely see this translating into meaningful changes or concrete implementations. This gap is evident in everyday practice. At the track, I often observe training programs that adopt a one-size-fits-all approach, without accounting for the menstrual and hormonal cycles of female athletes. This lack of individualization can be harmful, especially when athletes are pushed during vulnerable phases of their cycle, potentially increasing the risk of injury or burnout. Beyond physical training, there’s also a worrying trend among many female athletes I know who are struggling with disordered eating and unhealthy relationships with food. The pervasive belief that lower weight equals better performance is still widely promoted, including by coaches, which only reinforces harmful behaviors. When it comes to athlete welfare in general, I have to say that very little seems to be in place to support us during difficult times. Sports associations appear far more willing to invest in physiotherapy than in psychological support. Yet, without addressing the mental and emotional needs of athletes, any conversation about performance or wellbeing remains incomplete.
“Without addressing the mental and emotional needs of athletes, any conversation about performance or wellbeing remains incomplete.”
As a sprinter, speed is everything, but how do you personally define strength beyond the stopwatch?
As athletes, we’re wired to keep pushing and never slow down. Struggling to complete a session or stopping halfway was once seen as a sign of weakness. It’s not in our nature to let up, we’re conditioned to push through whatever obstacle lies in front of us "no pain, no gain". For a long time, I believed that true strength meant suppressing whatever I was feeling be it physical pain, emotional stress and focusing solely on the race or the session ahead. I thought resilience was about ignoring the signals from my body and mind. But over the past couple of years, I’ve come to realize that real strength lies in something much harder: the ability to take a step back. It takes courage to recognize when enough is enough, and to honor the moments when your body and mind need rest. Knowing when to stop yourself from racing or choosing to skip that last rep in training goes against everything we’ve been taught but it’s fundamental. True strength isn’t just about pushing through; it’s also about listening to yourself and having the wisdom to pause.
“I’ve come to realize that real strength lies in something much harder: the ability to take a step back.”
Follow Janet’s Journey on Instagram
Janet will be one of the panelists in our upcoming conference, Women in Sport: Strength, Stigma & the Silent Struggles, taking place on 7 August at MOVE Clinic. For more information and to purchase your ticket, visit https://fb.me/e/5GSxq1hiG
