No shortcuts to success

You’ve heard the saying “No pain, no gain”. Some use pain as an excuse to give up, while others treat it as motivation.

My most excruciating experience was a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered years ago. It took me almost a year to recover, and I was sidelined from all sports for almost two years. The physical and mental agony of the lengthy rehabilitation coupled with the frustration of having to watch and not play social football was almost too much to bear.

However painful that was, imagine the agony of injuring an ankle and tearing TWO ligaments simultaneously. Plus, having still to perform on the biggest stage of your life.
Yet, this was what 1996 Olympic gold medallist Kerri Strug had to face, before landing the legendary vault that helped the U.S. win its first-ever gymnastics women’s team gold.
The 32-year-old, who now works for the U.S. Justice Department, was recently in town as an ambassador for Visa’s “Go World” campaign.

Despite standing at a mere 1.44m, Kerri’s heroic feat at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games stands tall as one of the most memorable moments in Olympic history.
“I hope by sharing my experience, it will motivate and inspire youth around the world to follow their dreams and never give up,” she said, recalling how she landed her second vault with perfection before collapsing on the mat.

Her message to young athletes training for the Youth Olympic Games in August rings loud and clear: Train hard, stay mentally strong, listen to your coach, and always say no to drugs.