The Surprising Foods These Star Olympians Ate Before Competition
No matter where they perform, athletes have been prepping their entire lives for the upcoming Olympic Games taking place in Paris, France. We sat down with Olympic athletes Sha’Carri Richardson (Track & Field), Jordan Chiles (Gymnastics), and Kristie Mewis (Soccer) to discuss how they’re eating to prepare, their favorite post-competition meals, and how they hope to leave a lasting legacy. With the help of Danone, these Olympic all-stars are well-fueled with their eyes on the prize.
In our office, our conversations are always revolving around food (shockingly) and exciting eats. What are your relationships with food like, both in training season and post-season?
Sha’Carri: I have a phenomenal relationship with food–almost too good! During the season, food is something I’m mindful of and what I put into my body is my fuel. Off-season, I have more flexibility and explore. I’m a big foodie!
Jordan: As athletes we try to fill our bodies will all good things. We do sweat it off and we try to balance everything. I’m big on low-sugar products so that’s why I’m happy to be partnering with Too Good & Co.
Kristen: I’m an 80/20 girl—it’s all about balance! Like Jordan, I’m happy to be focused on gut health with Activia so I always know I’m ready for a game.
We are lucky enough to be chatting with a West Coaster, an East Coaster, and a Southerner. What are some of your favorite dishes and restaurants from your neck of the woods?
Sha’Carri: Food that I miss from Texas is almost everything but specifically I miss BBQ the most being from the great state of Texas. The best BBQ is the hole in the wall places!
Jordan: I’m from the PNW so I’m obsessed with fish ‘n chips. The best place in the world to get it is Burgerville. I’d eat it every day if I could.
Kristen: Pizza is my favorite food and on the East Coast, Bar Pizza with a crispy bottom with a thin crust. Every time I go home, I get a buffalo chicken pizza.
What’s on the menu before and after you compete in your respective sport?
Jordan: I typically don’t eat before we compete. In my sport, you have to lift your own bodyweight so everything I eat ends up becoming more that I have to lift and manage. The moment that competition is over, I will head to the closest pizza spot and eat pizza or go to a restaurant and get a good steak or salmon.
Sha’Carri: I’m probably in agreeance with Jordan. I like to eat light in the morning and honestly, afterwards when the job is done, I love to enjoy myself and have a hearty meal afterwards. For instant recovery, the OIKOS Pro Drinks and Shots are super convenient and quick. Proper recovery is always recovery. At the end of the day, food is amazing self-care.
Kristen: Our games sometimes aren’t unti 7/8pm and we run anywhere from 7-10 miles in a game, so I fuel my body the day before with carbs. The morning of, I’ll do pancakes and Activia. Running with junk in your system is an absolute no-go. After, I’ll do a burger or a piece of toast.
Being Olympic athletes, are there any foods in particular you’ve deemed superstitious to eat or not eat before you compete?
Sha’Carri: I always try to have pasta the night before a competition.
Jordan: Not me. When I was younger, I thought I had to have PF Changs Lettuce Wraps before each competition. Now? I just wake up, look a the sky, get ready, and go.
Kristen: Applebee’s Chicken Fingers and fries! I always felt like I needed it. Now, long lasting carbs and good fuel and bland food during the day.
Whenever we interview someone, we like to hand the paintbrush to the interviewee so they can paint themselves for our audiences. With the brush in your hands, what do you hope your legacy will be in the world of sports and beyond?
Sha’Carri: Outside of my career, I am a very open-minded person. Give everything a try before you cancel it out. I like to see the lesson in everything in my personal life and the world itself. Being able to apply things and grow and learn. I definitely love nature and being a vibrant person. I hope whenever someone crosses my path, I leave them a little brighter than when I met them.
Jordan: The legacy I want to leave within my sport is to understand that I was always able to have fun and not follow the rules in gymnastics. I stayed authentic to who I was. I want to be a leader and a shoulder. Always understand: for me, I was always being me.
Kristen: Women’s soccer has been growing so much and only getting bigger. I’m so proud to have hopefully played a role in that but as a personal legacy, it’s always been a goal of mine to be consistent. I want to be known as ‘OMG she’s reliable, she’s consistent’. There’s so many ups and downs and the more even-keeled you can be, the more reliable you are.
With the Olympic trials less than a month away, these athletes are fueled for gold as they make their way across the pond and into the history books.
