Olympic gymnast Levi Jung-Ruivivar revealed Wednesday she is stepping away from school to “heal from an eating disorder” she’s been grappling with.
In a candid post shared with her Instagram followers, Jung-Ruivivar — who competes for Stanford University and represented the Philippines last summer at the 2024 Paris Games — explained she had been struggling for some time and that the eating disorder “was pulling an abundant amount of my mental and physical energy away from the things I hold dear.”
“Hi everyone, I wanted to come on here today to share some deeply personal information,” the 18-year-old freshman gymnast began. “I have decided to redshirt this season and take a brief leave of absence from Stanford (just the winter quarter) to heal from an eating disorder I have been struggling with.
“I will return to school and training before the spring quarter starts. I struggled with an eating disorder prior to my time at WOGA [World Olympic Gymnastics Academy] and Stanford. My time at Stanford has been everything I dreamed of and more. I have been loving gymnastics and school and both have been going well, however I felt the disorder was infringing on my ability to fully enjoy these aspects of my life.”
Jung-Ruivivar, who made her Olympics debut in Paris, said Wednesday she “had lots of trepidation sharing” her private battle with the public, as some in her inner circle were also in the dark, but recognized being open with her story could potentially help others.
“First, I want to be extremely honest with everyone who is part of my journey,” she said. “Second, I believe by being transparent I can minimize the shame I feel around it. Third, I want to be a voice for anyone who may be struggling with an eating disorder, you are not alone.
“For those of you who may not know a lot about eating disorders, there are many different kinds and the severity of them differs, however, they truly negatively impact one’s mind and body. As an elite athlete, I felt it was vital to stop the damage it was doing to my body and mind by seeking help.”
Jung-Ruivivar concluded her message by thanking her support system as she continues her recovery.
“I am blown away at how many people (including my family, friends, coaches and staff) have rallied behind me and I will be forever grateful,” she expressed. “I look forward to getting to relish all of this and more as I overcome my eating disorder.”
Since posting her message on Instagram, Jung-Ruivivar has received an outpouring of support from Stanford and the gymnastics community, including fellow first-time Olympian Hezly Rivera.
“I love you levi,” said Rivera, a member of Team USA’s gold medal-winning squad.
“Always a part of the SWG family. We are so proud of you!” Stanford Gymnastics commented on her post.
USA Gymnastics also shared a kind message to Jung-Ruivivar, who captioned her initial post, “Growth isn’t always visible, but it’s happening. Here’s to embracing the journey.”
“So incredibly proud of your strength & honesty, you’re helping more people than you know,” USA Gymnastics shared.
The National Eating Disorders Association has estimated that nine percent of the U.S. population “will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call 988 or continue to contact Crisis Text Line by texting “NEDA” to 741741.