Olympic track and field and bobsled athlete Lolo Jones wasn't able to achieve a medal in two previous Summer Games or in her Winter Games debut in Sochi, Russia, this year.
After an early exit on ABC's renowned program Dancing With the Stars, Jones posted a detailed, personal message to her official Facebook page:
Jones opens up about falling short of her most recent goals in the public eye, and it was evidently heartbreaking for her that she didn't fare better.
Fellow Olympian Alysia Montano was among those who reached out to Jones in support:
Philip Hersh of the Los Angeles Times weighed in:
It's refreshing for a professional, elite athlete to be so candid, yet it also makes one feel for Jones. She has dedicated her life to her craft and has the physical faculties to translate her athletic talents to the dance floor.
Public figures in general have to deal with a ton of scrutiny. It comes with the territory. Based on her unfiltered Facebook post, Jones has heard the myriad of critics and unfortunately taken some of their harsh words to heart.
The 2016 Summer Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where Jones figures to compete.
That might be the last opportunity Jones has to get to the Olympic podium in her true specialty, as she and her USA bobsledding team partner Jazmine Fenlator placed 11th in Sochi.
Jones, 32, is best at the 100-meter hurdles. She finished seventh in the event in the 2008 Olympics after hitting a hurdle toward the end of a race that she was leading, and then just missed out on bronze with a fourth-place effort in 2012.
Note: Summer Olympics results courtesy of USATF.org.
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