In Tokyo2020, Chelsea was Guyana’s first-ever table tennis Olympian and her nation’s flagbearer, so as she heads into her second Olympics, she’s coming in with high hopes…and a lot of eyes on her. That said, her path to Paris has focused on “re-finding the joy of table tennis.”
After Tokyo, things changed. People started treating her differently and everyone felt entitled to weigh in on her matches, so for the last several years, Chelsea has focused on grounding and surrounding herself with people who lift her up, not tear her down. She shares, “You have to be really mindful of the people you have around you.”
“You have to be really mindful of the people you have around you.”
In today’s interview, we discuss how Chelsea first found table tennis (hint: it was an accident), and we explore the other aspects of her life outside of sport. She’s a self-described couch potato, nerd, rubik’s cube aficianadao, beach lover, and so much more. As she looks to the future, she hopes to continue to build the sports infrastructure of her home country, Guyana. Our money is on Chelsea to do whatever she sets her mind to!
This conversation is hosted by Maé-Bérénice Méité, 2x Olympian and 6x National Figure Skating Champion from France. This series Flame Bearers: Pathways to Paris celebrates women from around the world seeking to compete in this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics.
