Richard Mille’s staff and ambassadors (clockwise from back row, left) Wayde van Niekerk, Felipe Massa, Mark Cavendish, Tim Malachard, Mutaz Essa Barshim, Alexandre Mille and Miles Chamley-Watson. SINGAPORE – In elite sports, the stakes are brutally high and the pressure is relentless. Every move, every split-second decision, can spell the difference between glory and heartbreak.
But when Swiss luxury watchmaker Richard Mille brought five of its athlete ambassadors together for a recent fireside chat in Singapore, the conversation was not about their victories but the struggles that defined them. At St Martin – Richard Mille’s flagship boutique near the Botanic Gardens – Brazilian racing driver Felipe Massa, South African sprinter Wayde van Niekerk, American fencer Miles Chamley-Watson, Qatari high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim and British cyclist Mark Cavendish told raw, personal stories of how they overcame life’s toughest challenges. Hosted by the watch brand’s commercial director Alexandre Mille and marketing director Tim Malachard, the event revealed how the athletes turned setbacks into triumphs.
For Cavendish, one of cycling’s greatest sprinters, the stigma surrounding mental health once felt insurmountable. Diagnosed with clinical depression in 2018, the 35-time Tour de France stage winner opened up about his struggles. “Ten years ago, admitting you had mental health issues felt like making excuses,” said the 39-year-old.
But talking about his challenge.
