The 2008 Olympics has officially ended. As we look back at the events which have taken place in the last 16 days, we can draw inspiration from many athletes who have overcome all odds to win a medal for themselves and their own country. Among this special group of athletes, we have one that is handicapped and some who have battled with cancer prior to the Olympics.
However, there is one athlete worth mentioning in this posting. He is not a handicap and is not battling with any illness. Rather, it is his life story so far that has captivated me. I believe it is the events in his life that shaped him into the Olympic champion he is today. His achievements are absolutely impressive considering he is the youngest American to win an Olympic wrestling gold medal.
The guy’s name is none other than Henry Cejudo, the 21-year-old prodigy who had won the gold medal in Olympic freestyle 55-kilogram wrestling. His parents were undocumented Mexicans who met in Los Angeles. His mother had six kids, four with his father, Jorge, who was in and out of prison until dying of heart problems at age 44 last year. Henry never saw him after age 4.
When you've had as tough a life as Cejudo, a grueling day is routine. When he was young, the family was miserably poor, sometimes moving from apartment to apartment under the cover of night because they lacked rent money. His mom worked several jobs at a time, stealing home for a few hours to make sure her family wasn't in trouble. So far in Cejudo’s life, he has shifted house approximately 50 times. And all this time, Cejudo didn't get his own bed until he was 17, when he moved into the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) training center in Colorado Springs. Sometimes they stayed with friends, sometimes with relatives, sleeping six or seven to a room in bad neighborhoods, drug deals going on down the street. He spent his first four years in South Central Los Angeles. The family spent a couple of years there before moving to the Phoenix area.
Henry and older brother Angel emulated the pro wrestlers they saw on TV and the Mexican boxers they revered, and they entered a youth wrestling program in Phoenix. Angel was the first ace, winning four high school state titles, and Henry did the same. American wrestlers are supposed to go to college, then enter the Olympic program when they're experienced and ready; Cejudo did so at age 17 and is the only wrestler to win a national senior championship before leaving high school.
Neither liked studying, so when Angel was invited to the Olympic training center, Henry tagged along and won his last two state titles while living there. Within a year, younger brother was the rising star. As they say, what took place in the Beijing Olympics is now history.
To persevere and never give up is something we can all learn from Cejudo. Especially in the current tough economic outlook, investors need some patience and self belief. Bad times will pass. They always do if you look back at history. The night is darkest before dawn. Look forward to each new day with enthusiasm and vigor so as to continue the fight.
However, there is one athlete worth mentioning in this posting. He is not a handicap and is not battling with any illness. Rather, it is his life story so far that has captivated me. I believe it is the events in his life that shaped him into the Olympic champion he is today. His achievements are absolutely impressive considering he is the youngest American to win an Olympic wrestling gold medal.
The guy’s name is none other than Henry Cejudo, the 21-year-old prodigy who had won the gold medal in Olympic freestyle 55-kilogram wrestling. His parents were undocumented Mexicans who met in Los Angeles. His mother had six kids, four with his father, Jorge, who was in and out of prison until dying of heart problems at age 44 last year. Henry never saw him after age 4.
When you've had as tough a life as Cejudo, a grueling day is routine. When he was young, the family was miserably poor, sometimes moving from apartment to apartment under the cover of night because they lacked rent money. His mom worked several jobs at a time, stealing home for a few hours to make sure her family wasn't in trouble. So far in Cejudo’s life, he has shifted house approximately 50 times. And all this time, Cejudo didn't get his own bed until he was 17, when he moved into the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) training center in Colorado Springs. Sometimes they stayed with friends, sometimes with relatives, sleeping six or seven to a room in bad neighborhoods, drug deals going on down the street. He spent his first four years in South Central Los Angeles. The family spent a couple of years there before moving to the Phoenix area.
Henry and older brother Angel emulated the pro wrestlers they saw on TV and the Mexican boxers they revered, and they entered a youth wrestling program in Phoenix. Angel was the first ace, winning four high school state titles, and Henry did the same. American wrestlers are supposed to go to college, then enter the Olympic program when they're experienced and ready; Cejudo did so at age 17 and is the only wrestler to win a national senior championship before leaving high school.
Neither liked studying, so when Angel was invited to the Olympic training center, Henry tagged along and won his last two state titles while living there. Within a year, younger brother was the rising star. As they say, what took place in the Beijing Olympics is now history.
To persevere and never give up is something we can all learn from Cejudo. Especially in the current tough economic outlook, investors need some patience and self belief. Bad times will pass. They always do if you look back at history. The night is darkest before dawn. Look forward to each new day with enthusiasm and vigor so as to continue the fight.
No comments:
Post a Comment