00:19It started at the age of four. I watched the Olympics for my very first time and I'm seeing
00:24these beautiful, strong women running down the track. I asked my mother, how can I become
00:31that? And my mother told me, hard work.
00:42My name is Shontay Lowe. I have been to three Olympic Games and I am currently the American
00:47record holder in the women's high job. Nobody sees the toil that goes behind it. They see
00:54the glory. It's those little steps, the integrity and the perseverance coupled together that
00:58gets you to that point.
01:05I grew up in California with my mother, a single mother of three daughters. We grew up very
01:12poor. My mother always sacrificed herself for us. Those are the first lessons that I began
01:19to learn. Getting to my goal, I had to expect that things were going to come up against
01:25me. A lot of times it's the things that you do when people are not looking that ends up
01:31giving you that glory day that you want at the end. Whatever it takes, I'm willing, ready
01:36and able to do it because that's where I want to be.
01:44When the Olympic trials came around, I was nervous, but I knew that we had practiced and planned
01:49and it was a moment that I had been waiting for since I was four. I shook off all my
01:57fear
01:57at the door and I just went and executed what I had been practicing. And I was able to make
02:05the Olympic team and I didn't even barely make it. I was the second place finisher.
02:11In 2012, I went into the Olympics as the favorite. To not get any Olympic medal and walk away without
02:18that, I was crushed. I wanted to take off my shoes and throw them in the crowd and retire from
02:24track forever.
02:26Because I didn't do that, now here four years later, I'm still competing and still training
02:33and I've had so many amazing blessings that would have not happened had I quit.
02:40So now I could look back at that failure and say that wasn't a failure. That was all part of
02:44my story
02:45to get to where I am right now.
02:48Circles, squares, and lines. So are you ready to cut some stuff?
02:52Yes. To date, I have three gold medals but I call them Aurora, MJ, and Jasmine. Those are my three
02:59kids.
03:00At the Rio Olympic Games, my goal is to come home with a medal. Obviously, I want the gold medal
03:06but I will be just as elated with the bronze.
03:14When it comes to life, you have to find value in who you are. Believe in yourself. No matter what
03:20doubt comes your way.
03:22No matter who tries to tell you that you can't do it or because you're a girl, you can't do
03:26what the boys do. Ignore them.
03:29Do not stop until you reach your goal. And if you reach your goal, set another goal and do the
03:34entire thing over again.
03:35Because you have the power to make it happen. And nobody can stop you but you.
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