- Noah Lyles’ mother offers support to Aussie runner Ollie Hoare
- Hoare faced online harassment on social media
- Lyles’ mother urged Hoare to not let negativity diminish his happiness
Ollie Hoare, a middle-distance runner, has received a touching message from Keisha Caine Bishop, the mother of 100-metre sprint gold winner Noah Lyles, after Hoare disclosed that he faced online bullying.
The 27-year-old Hoare did not make it to the semi-finals of the 1500m event, finishing a disappointing third-last in his heat and subsequently being eliminated in the repechage round, ending his Olympic aspirations.
In an open interview, Hoare shared that the negative comments he received prior to the repechage round significantly impacted his mental state during the race.
‘My Instagram was quite toxic after the heat,’ the Commonwealth Games gold medallist remarked.
‘It was a rough race and I faced a lot of backlash on Instagram, which forced me to delete my account.
‘I probably should have done that before entering the village, but I enjoy connecting with my friends. It’s a convenient communication tool, especially when you’re away from home.’
‘That was challenging, and I believe it affected my performance a bit; I haven’t been sleeping well.’
Ollie Hoare (pictured) has received a message of support from Noah Lyles’ mother
Keisha Caine Bishop, mother of Noah Lyles, encouraged Hoare to keep his joy intact
The runner from Sydney also reported that his partner faced harassment from these trolls.
‘Whenever I have a poor performance, there’s always the possibility of that happening, and I try to brush it off,’ he shared.
‘They don’t realize that I was unable to walk just last November, or the struggles many athletes endure; sometimes it’s just not your day.’
In response to Hoare’s situation, Keisha Caine Bishop shared her support on Instagram.
‘As Noah Lyles’ mother, I completely empathize with your feelings,’ she expressed.
‘Those who spread negativity are often unhappy themselves. Don’t let them take away your happiness.’
The Commonwealth Games gold medallist has stated he will take a break from Instagram
‘You are important, you are worthy, and I stand by you. Keep in mind the famous quote, “It is not the critic who counts.”‘
Hoare announced his decision to step back from Instagram until the conclusion of the athletics season, resulting in significant support from fans and fellow athletes.
Federal independent senator and former Wallabies player David Pocock responded to Hoare’s statement by sharing the complete quote from Theodore Roosevelt’s esteemed ‘The Man in the Arena’ speech.
Roosevelt, the late U.S. President, delivered this address in Paris in 1910.
In this speech, Roosevelt expressed: ‘It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.’
