Simone Biles choices on mental health empowered my Olympic dreams

Logan "Logistx" Edra

I’m 18 years old, a full-time professional breakdancer and a member of the Red Bull BC One All Stars and Underground Flow crew. Once breakin’ was added to the Paris 2024 Olympics, it seemed as if the stars had aligned for the top-tier breakers in my generation (or any that will be in their prime that year).

I have found new levels of hope and inspiration for my success in 2024 watching this year’s Olympic games – from the opening ceremony to the focus on mental health over competition.

All athletes train with intensity. And dancers, who are often overlooked in the sports world, are no different. When I saw respected gymnast Simone Biles step down from competition to focus on her mental health and support her team toward Olympic silver, I was initially shocked. But it reminded me of a time, as a dancer, when I struggled with the same. 

In 2018, during a Silverback Open competition that gave me a name in breakin’, I took the win, but almost didn’t make it to the battle.

Logan "Logistx" Edra

I had been away from breakin’ for almost two years, and had been training hard to make a comeback. I put a lot of pressure on myself, and felt like expectations were burdening me. I even went through anxiety and feelings of depression. A week before the competition, I had a breakdown. I pulled away from the intensity of my training and changed my intention from having to win to experiencing the joy that brought me to the sport. If it wasn’t for this shift in intention, I wouldn’t have won.