Serena Williams, the American tennis player who once ranked World no 1, said, “It doesn’t matter what your background is and where you come from, if you have dreams and goals, that’s all that matters.”
It is proven true from time and again in every sphere of life, including sports. There are many such world-class athletes with humble beginning who faced all hardships that came in their ways and made their fortune!
Following are such star athletes who belonged from a humble background yet made it big later!
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Who doesn’t know Cristiano Ronaldo?! He is world’s one of the finest footballers of all time. This superstar soccer player played for his native land Portugal and represented Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.
However, the childhood of Ronaldo was not as glamorous or prosperous as his life today. He belonged to a very humble family. His father was a gardener, and his mother was a cook. He used to have his room with three brothers and a sister. His parents had a tough time raising their children, considering their tight budget.
Nevertheless, nothing came between Ronaldo’s love for football and his determination and hard work to prove his talent. It was only a matter of time before his talent was recognised, and he did not have to look back ever since!
2. Usain Bolt
Lightning Bolt, aka Usain Bolt, is the former sprinter one of the most successful athletes the world has ever seen. He is the only sprinter or runner to win both 100 m and 200 m races in Olympics three times. He registered 11 wins in the World Championship.
But, he was one of the world-class athletes with humble beginning as his childhood was nothing like ours. He and his fellow villagers did not have access to running water in his childhood. After winning the first 3 medals, he resolved this issue!
Born to parents who ran a local grocery store, his family had to struggle to make ends meet. However, Bolt’s interest in sports and his natural talent for track and field games helped him rise above those difficulties and become one of the biggest brands in sports.
3. Mary Kom
The life of MC Mary Kom is no less than a film script! A film in Bollywood is already made based on her life, featuring Priyanka Chopra. This iron lady belonged to a low-income family from a small remote rural village in Manipur, India. Her parents were farmers and used to work in fields.
Despite the objections from family initially, she moved to the city and started to practise under a local coach and became a champion in no time! She was the first Indian woman who has won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games (2018) and the Asian Games (2014).
4. Hima Das
Hailed from a poor household in Assam, Hima das is also known as ‘Dhing Express’. Her parents were farmers, and she was the youngest among 5 siblings. She overcame all the hardships with her resilience and took the world by storm!
This 19-year old Indian sprinter is the first-ever Indian to win a gold medal at IAAF World U20 Champions. Hima won 5 gold medals back-to-back in just a month in July 2019 in the Czech Republic.
Do you know about other world-class athletes with humble beginning? Let us know in the section below!
Want your children to have the best opportunities so that they can shine in their lives? Check out Gera’s ChildCentric Homes here.