Kristi Castlin
2016 Olympic Medalist and World Champion Athlete
During what seemed like a lifetime — eight long years to the Olympic trials and then a history-making win in Rio de Janeiro — Kristi Castlin never considered quitting. She knew she would succeed and continued to keep the faith despite many obstacles.
Her story is currently inspiring student-athletes across the nation, and bringing hope to people in all walks of life and in all professions.
“I always like to emphasize to young athletes to never take ‘no’ for an answer, figure things out and stay motivated. We weren’t given a vision that we’d never see manifest. Oftentimes it’s the waiting that makes young people second-guess themselves. Even the best cakes in the world still need time to bake,” says the USA Track and Field medalist who graduated with honors from Virginia Tech in 2010 with a degree in political science and a legal studies concentration.
“The three most important factors to be a successful woman are to never allow other people’s failures or setbacks to define me, constantly setting new goals and putting God first,” she shares.
When it comes to leadership, Castlin has this to say. “I believe that women increase their network by thinking outside the box and exploring multiple sources of income. Leadership has also been a constant factor in me generating my own income.”
An advocate of the Women’s Sports Foundation and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. she adds, “I am motivated by firsts. I’ve always been one to march to the beat of my own drum and oftentimes go the opposite way of the crowd. I’m always looking to do and achieve things that throughout history haven’t been done before. I’ve always been an ambitious young woman and I have successfully established myself as a ‘history maker.’ ”
Connect with Kristi Castlin socially on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @KristiHollywood.
