While there are many inspirational athletes, some go above and beyond the sporting arena. These athletes use their platform and influence to create social change. We will be discussing a few of these athletes, including Serena Williams, Brittany Griner, Mary Keitany, and Michael Phelps. These athletes inspire us to take action and be better people.
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps is a great athlete. Phelps began his career as a teenager and has since won 28 Olympic medals, four Olympic Games golds, and 39 world records. Phelps has been a victim of depression and has since become a strong advocate for mental well-being and mental health. 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 has had a tremendous impact on the tennis world and has inspired many other athletes. Her powerful voice has been used to aid those in need. She has helped to build schools and championed the health of women and newborns. She is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Brittany Griner
For many athletes, Brittany Griner's story is one of inspiration. Griner was bullied at school. She was also once called "a man." Griner thought about slitting the wrists to get rid of her feeling of being an outsider. Griner persevered despite the negative comments and became an Olympic gold-medalist.
Mary Keitany
Keitany won TCS New York Marathon the year 2018. After the race, she was certain she would win the New York City Marathon. Her motivation was to win for the children of her husband and show them how proud she is. Keitany was able to do this, despite the challenges she faced after giving birth to her first son.
Michael Oher
Michael Oher was born a nomad. His siblings and he were taken from their mother's care by child services in the second grade. They bounced around from foster homes, to friends' couches.
Althea Gilmore
Althea Gibbons is an inspirational figure to young and older athletes. She was born in Silver in South Carolina in 1927. She worked tirelessly against the injustices in her neighborhood and in sports. In the end, she was the best female player in the entire world and became the first black woman to win Wimbledon.