"Whoosh!" was the sound of the wind blowing into his face as he raced through the mountain's monstrous decent. As he raced through the Pyrenees, he thought about everything that had occurred in the past couple of years of his life. He felt his heart pounding as he pedaled through the dirt and rocks. Cycling is a tough sport that only certain athletes can endure. The long and painful climbs up a 2,000 foot hill are not the easiest things to do, but certain athletes have done well enough to call themselves champions of the sport. Lance Armstrong has succeeded so many times in this strenuous sport, that he has earned his title as the greatest cyclist. Lance was born on September 18, 1971 in a tiny suburb of Dallas, Texas called Oak Cliff. Because his mother was pregnant with him when she was only seventeen years old, Lance grew up without a father figure, but to him it did not matter. Soon after, when he turned three, his mother Linda Mooneyham married Terry Armstrong who later became Lance's new stepfather. With the financial aid of Mr. Armstrong, Lance's mother moved the family into a more upscale suburb called Plano, where Lance grew up. Lance's mother was not the wealthiest woman alive, yet she always found ways to give Lance what he needed.
When Lance was thirteen, a couple of his friends and him were loitering by the Richardson Bike Shop (a local bike shop by his house), when they discovered a flyer for an Ironkid's Triathlon. He told his mother about the triathlon, and she bought him everything he needed for the race, his uniform, and his first racing bike; a slim, elegant Mercier road bike. Lance joined the Ironkids triathlon, and ended up winning without even training for it. Pretty soon, he was entering triathlons in the...
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... things, and will always be and remain a hero in both the "athletic world" and the "world of cancer patients."
In conclusion, Lance Armstrong has accomplished many great things that people can only dream to accomplish. I chose to write a biography on him, because of the many things he has done in his life. Everything from his athletic success to his overcoming of cancer has taught me a lot about living life without regrets. His story in life truly is inspiring; he has overcome everything from growing up in a middle class family to climbing his way up the ladder of success. Lance Armstrong truly is an American hero that has influenced the lives of many. Because of the many obstacles he has overcome, Lance has grown to be my idol and one of my favorite athletes. He has shown through his actions from defeating cancer and his athleticism that Armstrong truly is strong.
Lewis, who was born in a time of rejection, shows that you can achieve your dreams if you want to. Even though he faced many road blocks to his career as a runner, he was still highly successful. He tried everything he could to make it happen, and in the end he did. He also showed how wrong people were of thinking that he was incapable because of his background. He completely changed racial barriers for the better in the sport’s world. Sadly, this wonderful person passed away on November 15, 2003, but that doesn’t mean his legacy doesn’t live on. Ray Lewis is an inspiring person who had a huge impact in the world just because of a simple dream, and that shows that everyone is capable of having an impact, if only you follow your dream.
Neporent, Liz. ‘Olympian Douglas’ Hard Times.” ABC News. ABC News Network, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014
During the times of the ancient Greeks, heroes and gods were the most admired of all beings. The heroes and gods bared supernatural and unmatched qualities like leadership, bravery, and strength, which caused the Greeks to praise them. Today, there are many people and organizations that possess those qualities and can be considered “modern-day heroes”. J.J. Watt, an NFL player for the Houston Texans, is an example of a “modern-day hero”. After Hurricane Harvey destroyed and devastated the city of Houston, Watt rose up and united the city, raising millions of dollars and bringing people together to help those affected. J.J. Watt is a modern-day hero because he leads, helps, and unites people.
... have been re-entered into Olympic record books and he is now widely acknowledged as one of the greatest athletes of all time(About.com). But throughout his shorter and memorable life. One thing people just look over completely is the problems he had with racism and segregation especially in the earlier part of his life but he overcame all obstacles and was on top for a very long time.
Athletes waiver an uncanny amount of courage, by pushing their bodies to the test and showcasing themselves and abilities to the judgement of the public. Sports may come natural for many people, but having utmost character and bravery does not come easy to anyone. Undoubtedly, having both is a rare occasion. Being a prime example, Jackie Robinson used his natural born gifts of a strong character and personality, along with an unprecedented athletic ability. He fought for equality by dignity and hard work. Respectfully, he was one of the best in Major League baseball for his time, and sparked a Civil RIghts Movement while doing it.
- second in 45-49 age group in national championship 100 km in 8:51 in New York City in 1993, and
Jesse Owens' childhood was unparalleled to any other child's with how hard it was. His parents struggled to get everyone in his family fed since their family consisted of twelve people (“Jesse Owens”). Many of his siblings were too busy to help their parents because of school. Jesse Owens was still too young for school which led to Owens having to help his parents out by earning money and buying food. This was an enormous responsibility for such a young child, especially with that big of a family. What topped it all off was he was an African-American and in that time period, African-Americans were greatly judged. Owens was cheated out of many opportunities for being an African-American, but that didn't stop him as he still found ways to help his family out in any way he could. Owens was forced to become a man at a very young age and made him mature very fast.
Evel Knievel did not, as you would say, come from the best childhood. He was born in the tiny little copper mining town of Butte, Montana. His first introduction to being a daredevil started when he saw, “Joey Chitwoods Auto Daredevil Show” which was later credited for Evel Knievels career choice. After his father abandoned him and his mother, his mother found it hard to make ends meet. His mother soon found that she was unable to care for Evel Knievel and put him in the care of his grandparents. His grandparent claimed that even at his young age he was a “little” daredevil. He first started his career of stunts by doing tricks on his bicycle for the neighborhood children. Then, for his thirteenth birthday, Evel Knievel got his first motorcycle. This was his most favorite present, but sadly it didn’t last very long. He crashed it into their neighbor’s garage while showing off again and nearly caught their whole house on fire when the gas tank of the motorcycle ignited and exploded. For much of Evel Knievels teenage life, he landed himself in jail very many times for things like robbery, breaking into houses, and stealing small things like motorcycles. Then, on one particular “job” he decided that th...
Lou Gehrig was a great American hero because he continued to play major league baseball very well even with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) (“Lou Gehrig ”) and many other injuries; such as broken thumbs, fingers , teeth, and toes. Henry Louis Gehrig or his original name Ludwig Hienrich Gehrig (“Britannica” 1), was born on June 19, 1903 in the Harlem part of New York City. His parents were both German Immigrants and were very poor. (“Britannica” 1) His mom Christina Gehrig was a very hard working individual. She worked many jobs such as house keeper, maid, and restaurant server. Lou’s dad had trouble finding jobs since he was ill often. (“Great Athletes” 2) Surprisingly to many people Lou Gehrig played many sports when he was young. (“Great Athletes” 2 ) He was also a fat little kid surprisingly, but that didn’t discourage him from playing sports. He exceled in many sports such as swimming, sports skating, football, basketball, and most importantly baseball (“Great Athletes” 2) . In one instance, Lou Gehrig hit a game winning homerun at their high school championship and was called by news reporters as the “The Babe Ruth of high school”. (“Great Athletes” 4) After High school he got a football scholarship and attended Columbia University in 1921( “Lou Gehrig” 2). He eventually signed with the New York Yankees in 1923 and sat on the bench for two months (“Great Athletes”8 ). One June 2, 1925, starting first baseman Wally Pip had a mild headache and asked to take the day off. ...
Jackie Robinson always went his own way, answering to his own instincts and refusing to be swayed by those who objected to his choices. He never took for granted his role as a trailblazer in the integration of sports and the opening of opportunities for blacks in the United States. By being a man with incredible physical skills, mental fortitude, and competitive fire who arrived in the right place and at the right time in history, Robinson had a major impact on the black struggle for equality in the twentieth century.
Boxing fans now regard Muhammed Ali as a genuine artist of the sport and a legendary hero. Ali revitalized the sport and is known for more than just his boxing accomplishments. Muhammed Ali has changed forever what we expect a champion to be.
It is evident that Jesse Owens proved to the world what no one at the time believed could be achieved. At a time when Blacks were not equal, there was no appreciation possible in the eyes of the Americans until the civil rights movement following after the cold war. Jesse Owens dealt with much more than any African American could ever imagine. Regardless of his immense achievements, Owens did not receive recognition for such important winnings until several years after the 1936 Olympics. Despite the hate that Owens received, he was able to surpass such negativity by being involved in other organizations and through this, Owens was victorious not only on the track but also as normal human being.
...orking hard like the rest of his competitors. His entire career was gone in an instant. Stripped of his titles and banned from ever professionally cycling again left him as only a man addicted to drugs.
Three-time world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, known for his lyrical charm and boasts as much as for his powerful fists, has moved far beyond the boxing ring in both influence and purpose. Ali won an Olympic gold medal and later tossed it into a river because he was disgusted by racism in America. As a young man he was recruited by Malcolm X to join the Nation of Islam. He refused to serve in Vietnam--a professional fighter willing to serve time in jail for his pacifist ideals. He has contributed to countless, diverse charities and causes. And his later years have found him interested in world politics as he has battled to keep Parkinson's disease at bay.
Tiger now lives in a new home in Isleworth, Florida. Near the west side of