Shelia Burrell’s Inspiration

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When Burrell was recruited by UCLA’s track and field program, she had the incredible opportunity to train side by side with the first lady of track and field, Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Ever since, Joyner-Kersee has been a role model for Burrell. “I really admire her a great deal,” Burrell says. “She inspires me.”

 Four-time Olympian Joyner-Kersee is widely recognized as the greatest multi-event track and field athlete of all time. She’s also a committed Christian who uses her celebrity to make a positive impact on young people across the country and around the world. “When I was 14, watching the Olympics on television, I didn’t know I was going to be a world record holder or a gold medalist,” Joyner-Kersee says. “But I had a foundation of love and hope — family, friends and mentors who believed in me. They showed me that through hard work, good choices, a firm faith in God and a determination to never give up, I could be successful. And that’s made all the difference!” © 2001-2009
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