Hello Laila Ali,

My name is Naomi Graham, and I compete at 165 pounds middle weight division for Team USA. I just want to say words cannot express the path you have paved for many female boxers that have competed in the past and present.

You helped bring notice to female boxing and are one of the many reasons for the growth and development of women’s Boxing today. Your passion, dedication and strength were all graciously on display of why women boxers and even other women athletes around the world deserve to be noticed and be afforded more opportunities in their respective sports. You constantly displayed hard work and determination and your will to win as shown with your 24-0, 21KO record.

I am grateful to you and would like to thank you for being an example to all women and little girls of what dedication looks like, and what you can accomplish if you stay focused and believe in yourself. I grew up watching you along with other women pioneers of the sport, and from watching I knew that I too could accomplish anything I put my mind to. Going from homeless to a national champion to an Olympian, I will always keep those core values and continue to follow in the pioneers footsteps as to what an example to other women and little girls look like.

You have shown that women are also very strong and powerful both physically and mentally. Women in sports are a force to be reckoned with and you confidently put that on display under the lights and for everyone to see.

So for National Girls and Women in Sports Day, it would come as no surprise as to why you would be one of the first to come to mind. I, and so many other women and little girls, look up to the woman you are and the things you have accomplished and the standard you set for women’s boxing. I am honored to now be sharing the same love and passion for the sport of boxing, and to continue on such a great example and looked at as a role model much like yourself.

Nothing I accomplish would have been possible without the pioneers pushing for better opportunities in our sport for women. So again, I want to say thank you from me and all of the many women and little girls who at some point didn’t believe in themselves but saw your example and realized the sky is the limit to the endless possibilities of success and accomplishments, and now I am going to also be an example and want all little girls and women to know that anything is possible with hard work, determination and belief in themselves.

Best,

Naomi Graham

OLY 2020

NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY: A LETTER TO MY IDOL

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