Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva trained up to 10 hours a day, six days a week, often without the proper nutrition. She wants others to know what that can do to the body.

Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva trained up to 10 hours a day, six days a week, often without the proper nutrition. She wants others to know what that can do to the body.

Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva spent years sacrificing her health for a shot at making the Olympics. "I was so driven that injuries didn't stop me," the 24-year-old told ABC Sport. "I really wanted to achieve my goals, show the world what I'm capable of and give back to my family." The rhythmic gymnast competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics and medalled at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games. She retired at 22 years old, noting that most athletes typically leave the sport between 17 and 21. "The sport demands significant physical commitment, as well as considerable psychological resilience," she said. Kiroi-Bogatyreva trained up to 10 hours a day, six days a week, but it was often without the proper nutrition. "It's very hard for a gymnast [being an] aesthetic sport, to be told you should eat more carbs when you're raised in the culture of being thin is better," Kiroi-Bogatyreva said. It meant her body wasn't functioning the way it should have been. Kiroi-Bogatyreva didn't get her first period until she was 19. At that age, most women have had theirs for about seven years. After that, it would only come once a year, when she had a two-week break from gymnastics...

Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva trained up to 10 hours a day, six days a week, often without the proper nutrition. She wants others to know what that can do to the body.

Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva trained up to 10 hours a day, six days a week, often without the proper nutrition. She wants others to know what that can do to the body.