Kerri Walsh Jennings taught me that you can be a mother and win an Olympic gold medal. The two things can live together.
Kerri Walsh Jennings is a 38 years old american beach volley player who has a wonderful story to share with all the women around. She is the living proof that you can be a mother and win an Olympic gold medal. Actually three of them, one for each kid she has.
Rio 2016 will be the fourth time at the Olympics for Kerri. Her three kids are going to watch her mother competing for their nation, the USA. What Kerri’s kids maybe don’t know is that not only is Kerri her lovely mommy, but she also managed to win the latest three Olympic gold medal in the beach volley discipline – 2004-2008-2012. An impressive record.
And yes – she can be a mother and being a record-scorer Olympic legend at the same time.
The Olympics and motherhood are not so different
In this interview Kerri explains that there are not many differences between being a mother and winning an Olympic gold medal.
“It’s the same thing with having a baby. It’s all just a miracle, and it’s really fun, and it’s such a journey to get to this point . . . In childbirth you forget how hard it is. In the Olympics, you kind of forget the emotion and excitement.”
Kerri has indeed a winning mentality, the one that only the top-player endorses. In fact, she doesn’t want to “attend” the Olympics, she’s actually at Rio 2016, like the other times, to win a medal.
“Never give up, never give in, and when the upper hand is ours, may we have the ability to handle the win with the dignity that we absorbed the loss.
This is a Doug Williams’quote that Kerri Walsh Jennings keeps repeating to herself like a mantra during London 2012 Olympic Games. This is something that helped her overcome the pressure and the trouble that an Olympic tournament can put you through, as well as childbirth and motherhood.
Her status as a mother, though, helped her as well.
Kerry’s extraordinary story as an athlete and a mother reminds us that you don’t need to give up a part of yourself to make amazing results. You can be a mother, win an Olympic gold medal, and be whatever you want to be. If you really want it, you can achieve them all.