In case you have yet to hear of Brittney Reese, she’s going to be on your minds soon enough. She’s an amazing Olympic Gold Medalist and long jumper who already made history by being amazing, and she’s set to do it again in the upcoming Olympic games. She’s only a five-time world champion, which is all right to brag about if you’re into that whole being an amazing world champion kind of girl – and she should be! She’s tall, she’s long, she’s lean and she’s just about as awesome as you might expect. She seems to be the kind of girl who doesn’t let her fame go to her head, but she sure does spend her time working hard to achieve her goals and win. We love her, and we think that you will, too; that’s why we want to get to know her a bit better.
She’s Young
Brittney Reese is only 29 – though she will be 30 in September. She was born in 1986, and it’s kind of impressive that someone this young has achieved so much and has so much focus and so much of her eye on the prize. I would venture a guess and say that she is the kind of role model we all wish our kids would look up to in their childhoods.
She’s a California Girl
Brittney Reese was born and raised in Inglewood, California – and she is proud of her heritage. She spent much of her childhood here, but she did move to Mississippi growing up and that’s where she went to college and graduated from high school. She always put her studies first, but she wasn’t that far behind in terms of thinking her running is important.
She Played Basketball
Most people are completely unaware of the fact that Brittney Reese is not just a good athlete on the track. She’s also an amazing basketball player and all-around athlete. There’s not much she will not try for the fun of the game, and we like that about her. Sports are fun, and we love a woman who will play anything and try it out for fun – it’s the way to go.
She’s Philanthropic
She doesn’t have much time to have a personal life training for the Olympics and things of that nature, but it doesn’t stop Brittney Reese from doing things her own way. She likes to give back to her community, and we appreciate her for that. In 2011, she donated 100 turkeys to a homeless shelter in her hometown in Gulfport so that those with nowhere to go on Thanksgiving would have some Turkeys to eat and a meal for which to be thankful. She also donated her time that year to help make Thanksgiving dinner and serve it to those in need. Um, she’s awesome.
There’s a Brittney Reese Day
When you’re an Olympic champion and a world champion, your hometown might think about celebrating you just a little. That’s what the small town of Gulfport, Mississippi did by creating a Brittney Reese Day on October 26. It’s a day all about her so that the town in which she spent so much of her childhood could celebrate her achievements and the fact that she is so amazing.
She Created A Scholarship
Stop. She’s too much of a good person for us to go on. She’s like the female version of Tim Tebow, who is pretty much an Angel. Brittney Reese created a scholarship named after herself which goes to one male and one female athlete from her high school every year who excels on the field or court and who has been accepted into either a two or four-year college of their choice. It’s a nice idea for her to want to send kids to school to finish their education and better themselves.
She Struggles with Depression
Many people do not believe in Depression since it’s such an invisible disease. It won’t kill you, it won’t cause you to become physically ill, but it will damage you in ways other illnesses will not. Since her Olympic Gold in London, she’s been struggling a lot, but she’s working with her family and with her doctors to find a way to work through her depression and come out on the other side of things.
She Had Hip Surgery in 2014
There was a point in time only two years ago when Brittney Reese thought she might be forced into early retirement after she had to have hip surgery. Recovery was very difficult for her and caused her many issues, including a great deal of pain. It was difficult for her to get back into her athletic shape and train, but she pushed through and was able to do it on her own time.
She Loves Drake
When she’s training, Brittney Reese likes to listen to her music so that she can get into the athletic spirit – something most of us do. She prefers to listen to her go-to song, which is one by Drake called “Big Rings.” She loves it and she is not afraid to bust out the lyrics when she gets a chance. Most of the songs on her personal playlist are from Drake, though she throws in a nice mix of other artists here and there, too. We like her playlist choices; Drake is good.
She’s Got More To Give
When she was considering retiring and when she was recovering from her major surgery, Brittney Reese was discouraged. She is, after all, only human. She was down, out and unable to do what she loves most in life. That’s enough to make anyone feel awful about life. She suffered and she struggled, but she eventually decided that she simply has more to give than she’s done so far and she’s not giving up. The realization that she still has work to do in the Olympics pushed her through and helped her to get through her ordeal better and stronger than ever.
Photo by Getty Images
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