It’s difficult to think of an athlete who’s overcome more than Venus Williams, nor one who’s faced obstacles on a more consistent basis. She hails from a rough neighborhood in California, where many don’t realize her older half-sister was shot and killed in 2003.
As young players, Venus and her sister Serena faced racial profiling in a sport that was more traditionally played by white players. Yet they both kept at it and became some of the best champions in the history of the sport. Even beyond that triumph, however, Venus has had to overcome personal hurdles.
For one thing, it has to have been difficult (though simultaneously wonderful) to watch her younger sister blossom into one of the greatest athletes in history. But more troublesome were her struggles with the autoimmune disease Sjogren’s syndrome, a debilitating condition that nearly ended her career. Venus, however, simply changed her diet and kept at it, and now at age 37 she’s still competing near the top of women’s tennis.
And her sister Serena Williams is extremely inspirational too. It is quite well known that she won her last grand slam while she was pregnant. Talk about you and me cribbing for small things! Their stories of inspiration are one to reckon with because they have overcome insurmountable odds to be where they are today.