Going back nearly 2800 years the best athletes in the known world have gathered to compete and prove their skill as Olympians. The ancient games featured athletic events as well chariot racing and tactical sports such as wrestling and the Greek martial art pankration. Yet, despite the substantial number of female athletes participating in sports once labeled for men only, the respected millennia-old sport of wrestling has seen relatively few women competitors. U.S. Olympian Kelsey Campbell intends to change that, while earning Olympic gold in the process. La Vie Sirene is proud to feature the story of this extraordinary athlete and humanitarian. You have been a major trail blazer in your sport, including being the only female wrestler at your university. How have your challenges improved your performance and vice versa? I think that the different adversities I faced shaped my appreciation for the sport. Every practice had to mean something because it took everything I had to get to it. The long bus rides, borrowing wrestling shoes, the fundraisers to raise money... And then, you get there and you realize-I represent women's wrestling. I'm this team's only look at what my half of the sport is all about. If I complain, if I slack off, if I quit, that means all women's wrestling do. It was important to me to represent the sport the best I could. I wasn't trying to break barriers-at the time-I was just trying to string two good days together. But then I look back and realize what that did for the sport, but also what it did for me. I don't think I'd honestly be an Olympian today if my journey had taken any other course.
unfinished business. The difference is, I'm the only one at my weight right now that has gone there and done that. That's it. Everything else is up for grabs. I fought with all my heart to do what I did before, and now I'm digging deeper to do it in 2016, but with a medal to follow. I learned mostly that it doesn't take a super human to be the champion. It takes a human making a decision everyday to put themselves in the best position. It takes humility to learn from those around me that have accomplished what I have not. It taught me that any day can be my day (to God be the glory), but that it may or may not be. I love wrestling. I loved it when I wasn't winning. I loved it when I was winning. Clearly, you are a woman of faith. How does your spirituality drive your decision-making and your attitude towards competition?
Being an Olympian is something akin to being an astronaut. So few of the world's population will ever have that experience. What was it like? And what did it teach you about yourself? It changed everything and it changed nothing. Once again, there is a responsibility that comes with the title "Olympian." On the other hand, I'm still me and I still have a lot to attain in this sport. A lot of -18-
