As the world had its eyes on the 2024 Paris Olympics, stories of athletes vying for glory captured our collective imagination. However, for every victorious Olympian, there are countless stories of talented individuals whose paths unexpectedly diverged, including celebrities such as Jason Statham and Bella Hadid.
However, these are not alone in the list, as they are among those who were equally skilled in their respective sports. While some fell just short of making the Olympic cut, others decided to back out, leading them to turn to the glamorous life of Hollywood stardom.
Jason Statham
Before becoming one of the most popular action stars in Hollywood, Jason Statham had a keen interest in sports and participated in several sports from football to diving growing up. However, his interest persisted in the latter and he grew a passion for diving at the age of 11.
And his hard work paid off as he made it to Britain’s Nation Swimming Squad and remained a member for 10 years. After joining the British National Diving School in 1985, Statham represented Britain and England in several international competitions, including the 1990 Commonwealth Games, as per Olympics.com.
The actor also went in for the Olympic trials for the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. But he was unable to make it to the main event, which he later described as one of his biggest regrets as a diver.
“It’s a bit of a sore point that I never got to the Olympics,” Statham said in an interview. He eventually branched out into acting, making his debut in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and has since become one of the industry’s top action stars.
Bella Hadid
Being one of the top models in the world, Bella Hadid has graced several arenas with her presence. However, the one that she wished to and couldn’t, continue to be the Olympics, as she shared in a 2015 interview with PORTER magazine.
Hadid revealed that she had been training in the hopes of making it to the US equestrian team at the 2016 Rio Olympics, as she has been passionate about horse riding from a very early age.
However, she couldn’t make the final cut due to her severe symptoms of Lyme disease, as revealed by her mother later in a blog post. “This was the biggest heartbreak of her life and an extremely sensitive subject for her,” Yolanda Hadid said in her blog, as per British Vogue.
Hadid, however, decided to shift her focus and made it big in the modeling industry as she continues to struggle with Lyme disease.
Pink
The three-time Grammy winner, Pink, could have potentially also become an Olympian, as she trained as a competitive gymnast growing up. While her acrobatics have proven to be helpful in her live performances, her dream to become an Olympian gymnast did not come to fruition.
“I wanted to be an Olympic gymnast before I was a singer,” she said, as per People before adding, “It’s really fun, it’s really physical, it’s really hard, it keeps me engaged, and it keeps me humble.”
However, the singer has also revealed that she was kicked out of gymnastics at the age of 12 due to her overly competitive attitude. Frustrated by the expulsion, she decided to pursue a career in music and began her journey by performing in clubs and has now become a world-renowned singer and performer.
Geena Davis
Although she did not have a keen interest in sports, Geena Davis grew extremely fascinated with Archery after watching Justin Huish win two gold medals at the 1996 Olympic Games.
“It’s very dramatic and beautiful and just thought casually, ‘I wonder if I’d be good at that?” she told People in an interview. Given her track record of excelling in various sports for movie roles, Davis decided to dive into archery in 1997.
She committed to intense training, practicing five hours a day, six days a week, and within two years, she was competing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic archery team for the 2000 Games. Although she narrowly missed her goal, finishing in 24th place, Davis has continued to practice archery whenever her acting career allows.
Vera Wang
The renowned fashion designer, Vera Wang, known for designing several iconic looks for the Hollywood stars, initially sought a career in figure skating before transitioning to fashion.
After starting figure skating at the age of 8, she trained with the Skating Club of New York and even competed at the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
However, she failed to qualify for the 1968 Olympics. “I was devastated when I did not qualify for the Olympic team,” she said, as per Olympics.com. Wang later decided to make a career shift in fashion but continues to enjoy skating.
The stories of these Hollywood celebrities are part of a broader narrative, each reflecting the significant choices and sacrifices that shape their journeys to fame and success.