The track and field world has witnessed multiple inspiring stories but one story that recently stole the spotlight is of Jaleen Roberts. She is an American Track and Field athlete, born with cerebral palsy. However, she has harnessed her athletic superpower to make the most out of her career. Her drive led her to win multiple medals for Team USA at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships, the 2019 Para Pan American Games, and the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships.
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Despite facing multiple struggles in her life, this athlete has made up her mind to achieve the remarkable. She has kept the Olympics on top of her dream list. Jaleen Roberts has been a motivation for everyone. Especially for differently-abled athletes, who look up to her as a hero.
Jaleen Roberts gives the track and field world a new inspiration
Jaleen Roberts should be on the list of one of the most iconic athletes as her hard work and willpower are absolutely exceptional. Her passion to keep going has made her everything she is today. No amount of appreciation is more for this 24-year-old. She herself has the intention in mind that she has to motivate so many girls who are looking up to her by giving her best in the field.
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The Cerebral Palsy Foundation shared an appreciation post for the athlete emphasizing on how influential a person like her can be on Cerebral Palsy Day. They appreciated the change-bringing attitude of Roberts and making a difference in society. They shared a photo of the athlete and the caption to it carried, “Jaleen is an amazing track and field athlete from Kent, Washington making a difference both on and off the track.” They also added how she has attained so many recognitions and rewards in multiple track and field events. Now after attaining multiple medals, she has her eyes set on her Olympics dream.
Roberts once stated, “There are girls around the world, watching on TV, and that I didn’t disappoint them. I was able to show that you can move beyond all this adversity and still come out with success.”
Apart from being an athlete, she is also a mental health advocate and educator. She is the ideal individual to make a positive impact on the next generation. She has suffered from depression and other mental health problems and is not afraid to talk about it. Jaleen’s patience and grit in surviving through it all is commendable.
Jaleen Roberts’ difficult mental health phase
Jaleen Roberts has been making her way up in her career to inspire herself and others with hard work. For four years now, she surrounded herself with just one dream; doing the best in track and field. With this, her ultimate goal has been to clinch gold at the Paralympic Games.
However, things have not been easy for the sprinter, she suffered from depression and anxiety when she was 22 years old during the pandemic. As soon as the pandemic made waves in her life, her school went online, she went through a breakup. Lastly, what hit the hardest was the fact that the Paralympics got postponed. Depression made her feel like she had her purpose in life taken away from her. Despite the dark hole of depression, Roberts emerged victorious in the race of life.
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Depression wasn’t the only struggle Robert had to endure. Bipolar II disorder fueled strange thoughts and extremely bad days. With time, she made herself strong enough to run in the racks again. Something that always helped her rise up was the thought of having so many girls looking up to her.
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Edited by
Shifa Jahan