Erin Riordan navigating Paris, mastering polo, and battling the challenges life throws at her
Former Swimming Olympic Contender, Erin Riordan, Navigates Post-Olympic Challenges
The post-Olympic period, often marked by a dip in motivation and feelings of depression, is a common experience among athletes following high-stakes competitions. Team Ireland, like many other countries, established support structures for their athletes before they departed for the Paris Games.
Riordan, a former swimmer, found the months leading up to the Games to be some of the most challenging in her life. The anticipated surge of endorphins never materialized, leading to her quiet departure from the sport.
Her story is one of surmounting adversity, rollercoaster emotions, and finding her way after missing the Tokyo Games. Born to Irish parents in Japan, Riordan spent much of her formative years in Switzerland, Hong Kong, and the UK. Her arrival in Ireland in 2017, to attend college, marked her first experience of daily life on the Emerald Isle.
After failing to qualify for Tokyo, Riordan made one final attempt to realize her Olympic dream as part of the 400m freestyle relay team at the World Championships in Doha the following year. Despite finishing 17th and narrowly missing qualification for Paris, Riordan retired from the sport at the age of 24.
However, Japan's decision not to travel for the Games provided a unexpected opportunity for Riordan, Victoria Catterson, Grace Davison, and Danielle Hill to become the first Irish women’s relay team to represent Ireland at an Olympic Games in more than half a century.
The experience, however, was bittersweet for Riordan. The team finished eighth in their heat, leaving her with a sense of missed potential. Reflecting on her Olympic journey, she tells RTÉ Sport, "It was difficult for sure. I think I kind of had a sour taste in my mouth from swimming even though I had this amazing experience and I'll never forget that."
After her second retirement from competitive swimming, Riordan has filled the void with different pursuits. She now works full time as a documentation specialist with a pharmaceutical company and will run her first marathon later this year.
Water polo has also rekindled her competitive spirit. Having never played ball sports or team sports before, Riordan joined the St Vincent's club and found the physicality and challenge impossible to resist. "It was a bit humbling at the beginning, going from the Olympics to being the very worst on a team that has 14-year-old girls on it, but good fun all the same," she says.
Riordan was called into the senior cup team, a side that recently prevailed against Galway's Tribes in a cup final decided by penalties. She admits she played a minor role but looks forward to the future and the opportunities it offers. "I didn't realize how physical the sport was," she says. "People are wrestling each other in the water, but it’s almost refreshing to see that in a women’s sport because that’s not how we’re 'meant' to behave I guess. But it is very physical, very aggressive in the water."
Now, Riordan finds contentment she could only dream of a year ago. Balancing water polo, running, and her professional life, she has found a sense of fulfillment and purpose beyond competitive swimming. “I used to work my life around my sport”, she says. “Now, I'm working sport around my life.”
The post-Olympic period is challenging for many athletes who, like Riordan, must navigate feelings of emptiness and identity crisis. Strategies for coping include transition planning, seeking support from a network of friends and family, and engaging in new hobbies or taking on new challenges. For Riordan, it's about embracing new opportunities and finding joy in the journey.
Science can play a crucial role in understanding and addressing the mental health challenges athletes face during the post-Olympic period, such as feelings of depression and emptiness. Engaging in health-and-wellness activities like water polo, running, and maintaining a professional career can contribute significantly to overall mental health and well-being.
