Olympic gymnast Ellie Downie has transitioned from elite sport to a new calling: promoting wellness through Pilates. Her journey, though inspiring, has been shaped by both triumph and hardship. I sat down to chat with Ellie on loss, speaking out, and being awarded an MBE. The personal and professional trials that ultimately shaped her post-gymnastics path.

Ellie began gymnastics at just three, following in the footsteps of her older sister. Her discipline and drive soon propelled her onto a world stage, earning her a spot at the Olympics by 17, and a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships.

Ellie is most proud of her Olympic experience. “Because I was so young, and it did teach me how to be resilient.” She explains that although she was competing in a team, ultimately, she was on her own. “So it taught me how to do my own thing and be really strict and regimented and focus on myself, because at the end of the day, that's the most important thing.”

“I was only 17, so it was a bit of a whirlwind to take in, but it taught me a lot about myself, and kind of made me feel like anything that I could put my mind to, I could get done.” Ellie also takes pride in competing at the 2019 World Championships, her final major event – though she didn’t know it at the time. “It ended up being my last proper competition before COVID hit and I eventually retired.”

Retiring at 23 and the weight of speaking out

There were several factors that led Ellie to retire at 23. For many of us, the pandemic meant being off work for a few months before more or less returning to normality as soon as we got the green light. But for gymnasts, it was a different story. “We don't normally even take more than one week off at a time, so three months was a huge hit for us,” she explains.

She and her sister faced mistreatment from figures within the sport after speaking out about abuse. “Me and my sister were one of the only two gymnasts to speak [up]. We just got penalised for it, and nobody wanted us around after that.” Ellie recalls. “People were making our lives really difficult, telling others not to work with us, because we were going to try and ruin their career and stuff like that.”

Ellie experienced a rapid fall from grace, once at the top, receiving the best support, she suddenly found herself cut off from the resources she once relied on. “We were just fighting a losing battle,” she says. “Ultimately, they got what they wanted.” Then came an unimaginable loss – the sudden passing of their brother. The final wake up call that something needed to change.

A year after retiring, Ellie received a letter in the post. With a royal stamp. She had been awarded an MBE for her contributions to gymnastics and advocacy. “It was a bit of a relief,” she admits. “It’s not that we ever felt like we did the wrong thing, but I think because we got penalised so much for speaking out, it makes you feel like you probably shouldn’t have said anything. Even though all we did was speak our truth.”

She also took part in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. Despite her athletic background, the show’s intense, emotionally raw format was unexpected. “It petrified me to the bone. I couldn’t switch on and off because they were watching TV. It felt so real to me.” But Ellie gelled with the other contestants and found solidarity in the team. “It was hard, but it was a great experience.”

Discovering Pilates and launching Embrace Wellness

While filming Celebrity SAS, Ellie learned that the gym she worked at was closing. Back home, she tried a reformer Pilates class and immediately loved its slower, low-impact approach – ideal after years of intense training and injuries. “I’m really into recovery, saunas, and the wellness side of fitness,” she says.

After quickly earning her qualification, Ellie taught at several studios before deciding to open her own. She toured spaces in Manchester, put down a deposit, and launched Embrace Wellness. “It was probably the most stressful time of my life!” she admits. Ellie started the business solo, using her own savings. Today, she’s expanded the team and now focuses on running the studio with less day-to-day teaching pressure.

Ellie has worked hard to create a studio space that is welcoming and free of judgement. “I got feedback from a lot of people who are scared to go to a gym class, especially if they’re starting their fitness journey and trying to take that jump, it can be daunting.” She explains. To counter that, newcomers get a studio tour, and classes are kept welcoming and non-intimidating. The space is softly lit, helping clients feel at ease.

“We focus on posture, alignment, and being present,” Ellie says. “Sometimes you’ve had a busy day, and all you want is to put your phone down and be at peace in your mind and body.”

What’s next for Embrace Wellness?

Ellie’s goal is community, not take-over-the-world plans for expansion. “My goal is to keep building on what we’ve got.” She’s launching free monthly wellness walks and matcha meetups to help people connect. “I just don’t want to lose the value of what we have. It’s small and intimate. I’m not looking to grow an Empire.”

If you're in Manchester and curious about Pilates, you may have just found the perfect place to start – run by a world-class athlete who knows what it means to start over, and who’s built a space where everyone is welcome.

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Amaia Wilson Frade is a copywriter and translator from Southampton, England. A language fanatic who speaks Spanish, French and Italian and loves writing for purpose-driven brands. Her happy place is tucked away in her campervan in the countryside or by the sea, meditating and matching playlists to whatever she's reading as she waits for summer to roll back around.

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