Swimmer Felipe Ribeiro paints nails as reminder of bipolar disorder, wins gold at Pan Am Games

By MAURICIO SAVARESE
AP Sports Writer

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Mental health and how athletes deal with it has become top of mind for athletes, coaches and sports executives alike. That’s even more so since the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 when American superstar gymnast Simone Biles skipped several title defenses in an attempt to protect herself. Brazilian swimmer Felipe Ribeiro paints his nails as a reminder of his bipolar disorder with every stroke in the pool of the Pan American Games in Chile. The nails of the 25-year-old are painted black, except for his pink-colored ring fingers. He recently won three gold medals at the largest multi-sport event in the continent, all in relays.