Many athletes are inspiring, but not all of them excel in the sport. These athletes use their platform to help create social change. This article will look at a few of them: Serena Williams (Michael Phelps), Brittany Griner (Brittany Griner), and Mary Keitany. These athletes inspire us as we take action to become better people.
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps has been called one of the greatest ever athletes. As a teenager, he became a professional athlete and won 28 Olympic medals in four Olympic Games. He also holds 39 world records. Phelps was also a survivor of depression. He has since been an advocate for mental and emotional well-being. He produced a HBO Sports documentary called "The Weight of Gold" that he recently produced. Interviews are also included with Olympians Greg Louganis, widely considered the greatest diver ever.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams' impact on tennis has been immense and she has inspired many others. Her powerful voice has been used to aid those in need. She has worked to build schools for the underprivileged and championed health care for women, newborns and children. She is also an UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and is vocally against gender violence.
Brittany Griner
Brittany Griner’s story is an inspiration to many athletes. Griner was bullied at school. She was also once called "a man." Griner was made to feel like an outsider and considered cutting her wrists. Griner persevered despite the negative comments and became an Olympic gold-medalist.
Mary Keitany
In 2018, Keitany won the TCS New York Marathon. After the race, she was certain she would win the New York City Marathon. She wanted to win for her kids and show how proud she was of them. Keitany was capable of accomplishing this, despite the difficulties that she faced when giving birth to her son.
Michael Oher
Michael Oher was an early nomad. At the tail end of the first grade, child services removed him and his siblings from their mother's home. They bounced from foster homes to friends' couches.
Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson is an inspiration figure for both young and old athletes. She was born in Silver in South Carolina in 1927. She worked tirelessly against the injustices in her neighborhood and in sports. She became the best female tennis player in the world, and was the first African-American woman to win the Wimbledon championship.