Recently I had the honor of interviewing and watching two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa Shields train for her upcoming match, and just by watching her I was in awe. While I was watching her train I was honestly a little terrified, but also surprised. When she is in the ring, Claressa is a beast but she is actually a really fun person who loves to sing, and she dances in the ring while she is taking a break from practicing. Watching her train also gave me an idea of what type of person she is. Most people would view the word “strength” as physical strength, and although she is extremely strong, something that stands out more is her mental strength.
Claressa has had to overcome so much adversity in her life, and though she is only 24, she has learned so much. She has learned the importance of mental strength and that is the reason she has been able to reach the successes that she has. She taught me that you are your biggest obstacle and if you have that strength, then it is possible to get through anything and to block out all of those negative things that people may say. She told me about someone that really made a difference in her life and he told her to always be herself, no matter what. Claressa is an extremely competitive person and loves trash talking but at the end of the day, there is always respect. She learned that it’s okay to be herself despite what everyone has called her, and that takes a lot of strength.
Something that I really admire is that she comes from Flint, Michigan where there is a serious water crisis, so Claressa dyed her hair blue and will keep it that way until the crisis is resolved and I find that extremely admirable. Boxing is a male-dominated sport, so it was hard for Claressa to convince people that it is okay for her to be a boxer, but she didn’t let any of that stop her. Now, Claressa is the first person (male or female) to win two consecutive gold medals in boxing, which is quite an impressive feat. She is completely changing the stereotype which is inspiring females like me to chase our dreams. Claressa Shields is one of the strongest people I have met, and I am so grateful that I have had the privilege of listening to her story.
Kayla
Youth Council Leader
Florida
8th Grade