She Was Afraid To Jump - Gabi Leon - Episode 164

What if the sport you were most afraid to try turned out to be the one that took you around the world?Growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Gabi Leon played all kinds of sports. When she joined the track team as a high school sophomore, she wanted to try the high jump. Her math teacher and coach, Dave Emeott, had another idea: pole vault. Gabi was terrified, and for weeks she told him no. Eventually, she agreed to try it. She fell in love with the sport at her first practice.Gabi went on to compete at the University of Louisville, where she became an NCAA outdoor pole vault champion. In her final college season, after a difficult year of injuries and disappointing performances, she broke through: winning the national title, making Team USA, and reaching the World Championships final.But success didn’t make every jump easy. Gabi opens up about the fear and self-doubt that surfaced when she began traveling to track meets alone as a professional. We talk about the mental work behind her performances, the people who believed in her, and why even the most driven athletes need to give themselves grace.Gabi’s journey began with one frightening decision to try something new. Today, she’s competing with the best pole vaulters in the world and still learning what it means to be strong.Gabi Leon, welcome to RU Strong.