From slavery and persecution to world-leading, the black class as a race has overcome some truly tremendous odds. The black people, as a race, have probably overcome more than any other class of people. The Indians and the Irish might have been persecuted as well, but they went through nothing like the black race. Heck, racism is still well and alive today. All that being said, there are just some truly great black people that opened the door, paved the way, and inspired everyone else around them. It is perhaps the black athletes of today and the past that have done the most inspiring, but which athletes would these be? Let’s take a look at the black athletes that are highly known for overcoming some of the greatest odds.
Simone Biles
It doesn’t take a coach or a sports engineer to see on the outside the success that Simone has experienced over the past couple of years. Her journey to the top of the Olympic mountain has surely been an inspiring one for many young girls of color. Here is someone that has truly come from the bottom of the bottom and worked her way up for everything that she’s earned. That gold that she has earned along the way was truly earned and hers alone to claim. From a very young age, she was born to a mother that struggled with substance abuse, unfortunately, a cause that so many colored girls face these days.
The situation got so bad that she was eventually sent to live with her grandmother, where her gymnastics career began by a mistake of all things. It was during a canceled outdoor field trip that her amazing career began. The class was scheduled for a day outdoors when the trip got canceled for some reason and she was introduced to gymnastics. The class decided to stay indoors and spent the day in the gym, where Simone completed a successful round-off back handspring on her first attempt. At just 4’9”, this might little girl has done things in the gymnastic world that others would have only dreamed about.
Lia Neal
Anyone that’s been placing bets or gambling online with quality gambling sites like สล็อต888 has likely heard of Lia Neal as of late. That’s because this Chinese-American/African American freestyle swimmer has set the world on fire. And, she’s done it from a swimming pool. Not an easy thing to accomplish. She first appeared in the Olympics in London 2012 during the summer and claimed the bronze medal in the 4 by 100-meter freestyle relay event. She not only overcome the myth that African Americans don’t swim, but she has made it non-existent. This stereotype no longer exists thanks to Lia, as she has grown to become the first African American woman to make a run for Olympic gold in the swimming pool.
Simone Manuel
Who said that African American girls couldn’t swim? Here’s another one that debunked this popular myth. However, that doesn’t mean this fearless seal didn’t battle much scrutiny and hatred to the top because she certainly did. During her pursuit of success, she had to deal with a lot, but she shrugged it off, put it behind her, and worked her way right to the top. It proved more fruitful than ever as well, as Simone Manuel has made history by becoming the first African American woman ever to take the gold in an individual Olympic swimming event. Truly something when you consider that most people didn’t even think black people had a taste for the seas.
Kayla Harrison
Here is a truly inspiring girl. She believes in the power of judo and everything that it offers the mind, body, and soul. If anything, she’s proven that this is a very powerful sport that can help one overcome many challenges. Unfortunately, at the tender age of 13, she was raped by her judo coach. She did become depressed and suicidal, but this would have deterred most people from the sport forever. Not Kayla. It only made her drive and work harder. She became more and more focused on judo and eventually went on to become the first African American to win judo at the 2012 Olympic Games. She continues her career to this very day, and as a gold medalist and motivational speaker, she is inspiring young African American girls from around the world to follow their dreams.
