Serena Williams won the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant, then returned to tennis after a difficult childbirth experience that threatened her life. Her perseverance inspired my own comeback story. After an unexpectedly difficult pregnancy that required an emergency C-section, and a lengthy recovery, I returned to the track to win two medals—a gold and a bronze—at the Tokyo Olympics.
Even as she’s moved away from professional tennis, Serena continues to be impactful. Whether it’s through her venture-capital fund that invests in companies founded by women and people of color, or joining the ownership group of the Toronto Tempo, a WNBA expansion team, or dancing during halftime at the Super Bowl, she continues to show that we, as athletes, are so far from one-dimensional.
She doesn’t have to do any of this. She could take a break from being in the public eye and raise her family. Instead, she continues to pave the way. So many female athletes see ourselves in Serena. A win for her is a win for all of us.
Felix is an entrepreneur and seven-time Olympic gold medalist in track and field
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Styled by Solange Franklin; set design by Ceci Garcia; hair by Angela Meadows; make-up by Natasha Gross; production by Petty Cash