Name the professional athletes you respect the most and why.
When I first saw this prompt, I had to stop and really think about it.
The 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris have recently concluded, and I watched some of it. I watched a few of the events out of curiosity as to how some of them would be conducted. And of course, I had to watch the archer who was born with no arms and uses his foot to hold the bow when he hit the bullseye – dead center!
But the event I didn’t miss was the wheelchair rugby. Those guys…and girls…held nothing back! Wheelchair or no, they were beating and banging each other as they jockeyed for the ball and to keep the other side from scoring. Great Britain brought home the gold with the United States taking silver, but they gave it their all. A new mmeber to the U.S. team is Sarah Adam who due to an MS diagnosis noted the 2024 Games may be her only chance to participate on the court. Sarah was among the top scorers on the team and was beating and banging with the guys just like everyone else.
The chairs the rugby players use is built strong and rugged; they weigh about 50 pounds. If they fall over, someone comes out to pick them up, but in wheelchair basketball the chairs are much lighter – around 25 pounds – and if a player falls, they just push themselves back up and keep going.
I watched some of the basketball games too and the U.S. went undefeated to win the gold medal – for the third time in a row – and made history in the process.
It takes a lot of time, effort, and strength for the people who play wheelchair basketball and rugby; they deserve respect…and admiration!
But, the one athlete I admire and respect the most is a lot closer to home…he is in fact, family.
His name is Darius Fulghum and is a professional boxer.
Darius is a Golden Gloves champion and a former member of Team USA. He was ready to go to Tokyo when Covid hit and as a result never made it to the Olympics…but instead went pro.
Oh, he is also a college graduate and registered nurse!
Boxing with Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, Darius is undefeated at 12-0! Only two of those decisions were by decision.
Evidently boxing no longer differentiates between a Technical Knock Out and a Knock Out; Darius has one KO and the rest of his wins are TKO’s.
Instead of a nickname, Darius chose the letters DFG for Destined for Greatness. I have no doubt that he will!
The person holding the belt up in the background is Darius’ big brother – a former football player -and the belt is a championship belt he holds until he loses a bout.
I am not a big fan of boxing – I could never see the entertainment in watching people “artfully” beating each other up. But Darius is family, and I will follow and support him.