July 3, 2020, 3:36 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
At the 2012 London Olympics, gymnast Philipp Boy was among the medal favorites. But his dream was shattered after several injuries–and he actually wanted nothing more to do with sports from that point on. Fortunately, things turned out completely differently.
Gymnastics World Cup in Stuttgart in November 2011. Philipp Boy performs his routine on the high bar, mastering the most difficult elements. Then the fall–he loses his grip on the bar, slips, and crashes into the mat with full force. It’s one of those moments athletes probably never forget.
Gymnast Philipp Boy, born and raised in Schwedt on the Oder, was among the medal favorites in the all-around competition (floor, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars, high bar) at the 2012 London Olympics. He earned this status through consistent success in previous years: 2010 vice world champion in Rotterdam, 2011 again vice world champion in Tokyo and European champion at the home event in Berlin. Everything was set! But then the fall in Stuttgart and its consequences. More physical problems followed.
He was incredibly lucky, Philipp Boy later said in an interview with “rbb.” The physical consequences of his fall: back pain, wrist and collarbone issues. Almost everyday life for a gymnast. During high bar exercises, forces of up to eight times the body weight act on the athletes. Falls can end differently. “At that moment, I started thinking about gymnastics,” Boy said at the time.
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With his physical handicaps and constant pain he continued in the 2012 Olympic preparation. The mental effects of the fall were also present. Boy worked hard to overcome the mental block with flight elements on the high bar. The dream of an Olympic medal kept driving him. At least until that bitter day in London: First Olympic competition day, first apparatus: the vault. Boy performs an element he usually lands safely and injures his ankle on landing! All-around over, medal gone, games over! How deep and dark the hole must have been that Philipp Boy fell into at that time can probably only be guessed by someone who has experienced something similar.
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After retiring, Boy wanted nothing more to do with sports
Did he speak of retiring from gymnastics immediately after the Olympics because of this? Was it anger and disappointment that drove him to this decision at first? No. Whenever Boy entered the gym from then on, there was this general lack of motivation, the fire was gone. Four more years of hard training with much sacrifice and pain–Philipp Boy didn’t want that anymore. He wanted to experience something different, without sports continuing to dictate his life. On December 1, 2012, he announced his retirement.
End of 2019 brought another change in his life
From that point on, Philipp Boy wanted absolutely nothing more to do with sports–and nothing with the media. The trained insurance salesman switched to finance, working as a consultant in his own office. For seven years, the now 32-year-old has lived in Berlin and has since married his longtime girlfriend. In 2013, daughter Ophilia was born. In Cottbus, where he lived since his time at the sports school and as a gymnast for SC, he owns a restaurant. End of 2019 brought another change in his life. Ironically, through a TV show, he found his way back to sports. After consistently rejecting media requests for years, in 2016 came the offer from “Dance, Dance, Dance” (RTL). Boy was quickly enthusiastic, seeing it as the athletic challenge he would gladly take on. In the end, he even triumphed in the season together with freeskier Benedikt Mayr.
FITBOOK Move Jam 2020–Full-Body-HIIT-Workout with Philipp Boy (from Min. 58)
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From “Dance, Dance, Dance” to “Ninja Warrior”
It was the start of Philipp Boy’s new passion, dancing, gymnastics, climbing, or running through TV shows in Germany: The main thing is a cool format, the main thing is sports, the main thing is a challenge–that is the credo of the former gymnastics star, who was once the first German to be named the “most elegant gymnast” at a world championship (2010 in Rotterdam). Several appearances followed on “Ninja Warrior Germany” (2017, 2018, 2019). In the celebrity special and the regular season, it’s about overcoming a versatility course and climbing “Mount Midoriyama”–not an easy task even for the ambitious Boy. But his gymnastic movement talent is, of course, an advantage. In “Eternal Heroes” 2018 (where former sports legends compete in competitions) Boy came in second. Also in the 2018 winter special of “Eternal Heroes” and in “Catch! The German Championship in Tag” 2019, he participated.
Today he shares his knowledge with sports enthusiasts
But even off the show stage, sports have regained a firm place in Philipp Boy’s life. In Berlin, he started a fitness project with B-Parts Sport. On the outdoor training park, which is freely accessible, he shares his knowledge from years of professional experience with all sports enthusiasts in courses. During the coronavirus crisis, Boy posted a workout video for training with children online for those seeking inspiration for movement with their kids. Starring his own daughter. With this, he wants to help channel the natural urge for movement in children in the right direction, Boy says.
The childlike joy and urge for movement seem to have been rediscovered by the 32-year-old. It seems he has made peace with his “first life.” The fire of his old passion, sports, has been reignited. Just not according to the old gymnast motto “Gymnastics, gymnastics, gymnastics–from the cradle to the grave.”