What Do Olympic Athletes Do When The Games Are Over?

After a year-long setback, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games were officially able to happen in 2021, when we were still in the midst of a pandemic. The greatest athletes in the world gathered in Japan to compete from July 23 to August 8, taking over TikTok, giving us an immense amount of FOMO, and debunking those anti-sex bed rumors. They also protested, dealt with their mental health in front of the entire world, and pushed their bodies to their absolute limits. And now — just like that — the Games are over.

But.... what comes next? What do the best athletes in the world do after their Olympic journey comes to an end? The answer varies widely, depending on the athlete. Refinery29 spoke to five Olympians about what it's like to leave Tokyo after the long-awaited games, and how they're figuring out their next moves.